Bolivian bishops after elections: ‘A new chapter in the country’s political history opens’
Bishop Giovanni Arana (right), secretary-general of the Bolivian Bishops’ Conference, seated beside Susana Inch, a lawyer and legal adviser to the bishops. / Credit: Bolivian Bishops’ Conference
ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 20, 2025 / 15:30 pm (CNA).
The Bolivian Bishops’ Conference (CEB, by its Spanish acronym) expressed hope after Bolivia’s recent general election, which marked a change in the country’s political direction.
Rodrigo Paz Pereira, the centrist Christian Democratic Party candidate for president who won the Aug. 17 election, will now face former president Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga in a runoff. The unexpected result is viewed as a setback for the far-left Movement Toward Socialism, the party that governed the country for two decades.
Amid food shortages, historic inflation, political confrontations, and a climate of violence in the country, Bolivians voted for change.
In an Aug. 18 statement, the bishops celebrated voter turnout on Election Day. “This demonstration of democratic commitment, hope, and responsibility on the part of the Bolivian people — who experienced a great historic occasion, marked by respect and the will to decide the country’s course — should characterize the path ahead,” they said.
They also praised the work of the institutions responsible for ensuring the integrity of the electoral process, “so that Election Day would be held within a framework of trust and respect for the will of the Bolivian people.”
“We welcome with hope the election results that open a new chapter in the country’s political history,” the bishops stated, saying the election gave “a voice to all Bolivians who strive and yearn for significant change.”
The CEB congratulated the candidates who qualified for the runoff, scheduled for Oct. 19.
The bishops urged the public to “continue to responsibly inform themselves about each candidate’s proposals in this new electoral phase.”
“We invite all Bolivians to maintain unity, respect, and solidarity in these decisive moments. May God continue to accompany the history of our homeland, and may the Virgin Mary always intercede for better days for all,” they concluded.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.