Bolivia\’s Radical Future: Right-Wing Hopeful Announces Revolution
Bolivia Gears Toward “Radical Renewal” as Presidential Race Roils
Quiroga’s Vision: A 20‑Year Reset Breaks from 2006‑2019
Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga, the former 2001–2002 Venezuelan‑era head of state, argues Bolivia is “poised for radical change” after two decades of socialist rule that culminated in a crippling economic crisis. The former vice president, 65, claims the nation will regain the progress lost between Evo Morales (2006‑2019) and Luis Arce (2020‑present).
Poll Leaders Show MAS on the Rocks
- Quiroga rounds second in August 17 first‑round polls.
- Samuel Doria Medina, the cent‑right business magnate, leads the race.
- Andrónico Rodríguez, the left‑wing candidate, polls third.
- The MAS coalition, Evo Morales’ party, sits at “rock bottom” after handling Bolivia’s worst crisis in two decades.
Bolivia’s Essentials Become Scarce
Fuel and food items are in short supply, while the country is running out of the dollars it needs to import essentials. Year‑on‑year inflation hit 25.8% in July, the highest level since 2008, driven by a dollar shortage and a nearly doubled value against the local boliviano.
Quiroga’s Plan Calls for Austerity and “All‑New Laws”
- Quiroga, a US‑educated former finance minister who served as vice president under Hugo Banzer in the 1990s, would “change all the laws” to attract investment, including in the energy sector previously nationalized by Morales.
- He pledges the deepest spending cuts among the candidates. Quiroga favors a libertarian Argentine leader, Javier Milei, and has advocated the most radical austerity measures.
- He vows to reshape international alliances, breaking ties with Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua—close allies of the Morales and Arce administrations.
What to Expect if Quiroga Takes the White House
Quiroga’s 20‑year reset proposal involves a significant shift toward privatization, a deeper austerity budget, and a break from past socialist foreign‑policy alliances. If he wins, Bolivia could see a dramatic turnaround of the nation’s finances and the governing structure itself, creating monumental change after 20 lost years.
