Early official result showed the ruling Movement for Socialism (MAS) on track for its worst election defeat in a generation.

Now, on October 19, Bolivians will hold presidential runoff for the first time—an option only introduced in the 2009 Constitution. As voters prepare to pick their next president, AS/COA online looks at dark horse candidate Paz, the collapse of MAS, and the composition of the next national legislature.

The forthcoming presidential election in Bolivia promises change after years of socialist rule, but Indigenous and environmental leaders remain skeptical about its potential impact on deforestation and pollution.

A seismic political shift has taken place in Bolivia. The country’s leftist Movimiento al Socialismo (Mas) party, which has dominated Bolivian politics for nearly 20 years, was voted out of power in a general election on August 17.

LA PAZ (Reuters) -Bolivian presidential candidate Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga said he would dole out ownership stakes in key natural resources like lithium if elected in October as part of sweeping economic reforms, and signalled a willingness to improve ties with the United States.

A well-known figure in Bolivian politics, Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga, 65, is a conservative candidate representing the Alianza Libre coalition. He briefly served as president from 2001 to 2002 and has worked as an IMF consultant and a mining executive.