Bolivian President Rodrigo Piaz Photo: Luis Gandarillas / AFP / Profimedia
Center-right Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz was sworn in on Saturday, on which occasion he promised that Bolivia would “never be isolated” from the world, thus turning a page after 20 years of socialist rule in a country plunged into a serious economic crisis, reports France Presse, taken over by Agerpres.
“Never again an isolated Bolivia, subject to outdated ideologies. Bolivia returns to the world and the world returns to Bolivia”, declared the Bolivian head of state shortly after the swearing-in ceremony, emphasizing the presence of more than 70 international delegations.
Among the main leaders present were the presidents Gabriel Boric (Chile), Javier Milei (Argentina), Yamandu Orsi (Uruguay) and the US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau.
Rodrigo Paz had already announced his intention to open his country to the world, especially restoring relations with the US, which had been severed since 2008 by former president Evo Morales, an ally of Cuba and Venezuela.
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Aged 58, the new Bolivian head of state was applauded upon entering the Legislative Palace in La Paz, where Bolivian parliamentarians and foreign guests were present.
Elected in October by the Christian Democratic Party, Rodrigo Paz presides over a country plunged into the worst economic crisis in the last 40 years, undermined by a shortage of dollars and fuels.
His predecessor, Luis Arce, depleted the country's foreign exchange reserves by financing a massive fuel subsidy policy. Annual inflation reached 19% in October, after a peak of 25% in July.
Rodrigo Paz has promised to halve fuel subsidies and launch a “capitalism for all” program focused on administrative simplification and lower taxes.
