Who is Rodrigo Paz? First conservative to become Bolivian President in nearly 20 years

Bolivia's Christian Democratic Party (PDC) leader Rodrigo Paz has become the new President of the country, becoming the first conservative to win a presidential election in nearly two decades.

Paz will take office on November 8. However, his party does not hold majority in Bolivia's legislature, which is why he will be required to form alliances with other parties to govern the country effectively,

With 97 per cent of ballots counted, Paz won 54.5 per cent of the vote in Sunday's run-off race, well ahead of right-wing former interim President Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga.

Here is everything you need to know about Rodrigo Paz, the new President of Bolivia.

Who is Rodrigo Paz?

The 58-year-old centrist Senator and economist Rodrigo Paz is the first non-socialit leader to win the post of Bolivia's President.

He is the son of President Jaime Paz Zamora, who governed from 1989 to 1993, and Spaniard Carmen Pereira.

Rodrigo Paz was born in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, and spent his early childhood there.

His father, one of the founders in the 1960s of the Marxist-inspired Revolutionary Left Movement, had gone into exile in Spain to escape the repressive rule of General Hugo Bánzer, one a series of dictators who ruled Bolivia from 1964 to 1982.

Rodrigo Paz used to study economics in the United States before joining his father's party in Bolivia upon his return home.

While Paz returned to Bolivia to join the leftist party founded by his father, he later recast himself as a conservative committed to pragmatic, business-friendly reforms.

His career began as a lawmaker in the lower house of Congress. Thereafter, he became mayor of the southern city of Tarija, his hometown, from 2015-2020.

Rodrigo Paz has been a Bolivian senator since then.

On the campaign trail, he promoted what he called “capitalism for everyone” and promised to dismantle the “state roadblock” to economic development.

In his victory address, Paz said Bolivia was “reclaiming its place on the international stage.”

“Bolivia is breathing winds of change,” he told supporters. “Ideology doesn’t put food on the table. What does is the right to work, strong institutions, legal security and private property.”

Bolivia has been suffering an economic crisis, including annual inflation of almost 25 per cent and critical shortages of US dollars and fuel.