(18 Aug 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
++PART MUTE++
++AUDIO QUALITY AS INCOMING++
ASSOCIATED PRESS
La Paz, Bolivia – 17 August 2025
1. Bolivian presidential candidate, Rodrigo Paz, gesturing to crowd
2. Various of supporters
3. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Rodrigo Paz, Bolivian presidential candidate:
"Bolivia standing, never on its knees!"
4. Various of Paz singing Bolivia’s national anthem
5. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Rodrigo Paz, Bolivian presidential candidate:
"Now we begin to build the victory of our homeland to change, to transform, to make a more equal country, a country of equal society. Join me in saying, long live Bolivia, long live Bolivia!"
6. Supporters waving flags
7. Paz walking through crowd
8. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Rodrigo Paz, Bolivian presidential candidate:
"This was no surprise. It was no surprise. It might be a surprise for some sectors of power that did not want to acknowledge this reality. Bolivia is seeking change. It is seeking renewal. (We expressed this) together with Paz-Lara (candidate for vice president Edman Lara) as a team, but the vast majority of people have expressed a desire for renewal—self-employed workers, transport workers, the large majorities of the country."
9. Paz gesturing to supporters
10. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Rodrigo Paz, Bolivian presidential candidate:
"Nothing has been won. It is an important step, but our project is by everyone and for everyone. That’s why the inclusion of all sectors is more important today than ever. But above all, as Gualberto Villarroel (late Bolivian military officer) said, I am not an enemy of the powerful, but I am more a friend of the humble and the needy, and that will continue to be our line."
11. Paz and supporters
12. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Rodrigo Paz, Bolivian presidential candidate:
"I hope that if they allow us, if the people allow us, we can achieve victory and if God grants it, the recovery of an internal Bolivia and an external Bolivia. It cannot be that in Bolivia last year there was $249 million in investment when Chile had $22 billion or Peru had $30 billion in two years."
13. Eliana Ochoa celebrating with Bolivian flag
14. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Eliana Ochoa, attendee:
"Actually, I personally think that both (Paz and Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga) have a lot. They have a lot of potential. So, as I said, whichever one wins, we finally have a free Bolivia."
15. Drone images ov Paz and supporters ++MUTE++
STORYLINE:
Bolivia’s presidential vote headed to an unprecedented runoff after elections Sunday that ended more than two decades of left-wing dominance in the Andean nation but signaled voters’ trepidation about a major lurch to the right.
A dark horse centrist, Sen. Rodrigo Paz, drew more votes than the right-wing front-runners, although not enough to secure an outright victory, early results showed.
Speaking to supporters after the results of the first round, Paz said that he was not surprised with the numbers that give him a lead. " It might be a surprise for some sectors of power that did not want to acknowledge this reality. Bolivia is seeking change," he added.
Paz’s campaign gained unexpected traction in recent weeks as he teamed up with Edman Lara, a social media savvy ex-police captain with evangelical backing whose supporters see him as a bold leader willing to stand up to corruption in the security forces.
With over 91% of the ballots counted Sunday, Paz received 32.8% of the votes cast. Quiroga secured 26.4%. Candidates needed to surpass 50%, or 40% with a 10-point margin of victory, to avoid a runoff.
===========================================================
Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/
You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/fc01f90fa4c14d9b9200a690797593cf
Author: AP Archive
Go to Source
News post in August 23, 2025, 9:05 am.
Visit Our Sponsor’s:
News Post In – News
