Wind of change
Historic: Bolivia Ends 20-Year Rift with Israel
The shift follows a major political turnaround in La Paz, as newly elected President Rodrigo Paz signals the end of two decades of left-wing rule and a fresh start with Jerusalem.
After nearly two years of frozen diplomatic relations, Bolivia is set to restore official ties with Israel, following the election of President Rodrigo Paz, who ended 20 years of rule by the far-left MAS (Movement for Socialism) party.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar was among the first world leaders to speak with Paz after his victory, congratulating him and discussing the renewal of bilateral relations.
“Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar spoke earlier this evening with Bolivia’s President-elect Rodrigo Paz,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “It was one of the first diplomatic conversations Paz held since his election yesterday. Minister Sa’ar congratulated the president-elect and expressed Israel’s readiness to open a new chapter in relations.”
According to the statement, Sa’ar emphasized the historic connection between Israel, the Jewish people, and Bolivia, adding that “after two decades of strained relations, the time has come to return to a path of friendship and cooperation.”
Paz reportedly told Sa’ar that he intends to “reopen Bolivia to the world” and to restore full diplomatic relations with Israel, signaling a break from the pro-Palestinian stance of previous Bolivian governments.
Sa’ar also highlighted the vast potential for collaboration in areas such as agriculture, water management, technology, and trade, and announced that Israel will send an official representative to Paz’s inauguration ceremony in La Paz next month.
A Political Turning Point
Senator Rodrigo Paz, 58, of the Christian Democratic Party, won 54.5% of the vote in Sunday’s runoff election, defeating conservative challenger Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga (45.5%). Paz’s victory marks a dramatic political shift following the country’s deepest economic crisis in decades.
The president-elect will be the third member of his extended family to serve as Bolivia’s head of state. His moderate platform promised to preserve key social programs while boosting growth through private-sector reforms, a message that resonated with voters disillusioned by years of economic decline and corruption under the MAS government.
In his victory speech in La Paz, Paz vowed to gradually phase out fuel subsidies, provide targeted support for vulnerable populations, and pursue a $1.5 billion economic cooperation deal with U.S. partners to stabilize energy supplies.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the election results, noting that both candidates favored closer ties with Washington. Political analysts described the election as a turning point for Bolivia, suggesting the new government may steer the country toward a more pragmatic, pro-Western foreign policy, including the renewal of full diplomatic relations with Israel.