LA PAZ — Bolivia's Supreme Electoral Tribunal confirmed Monday that the country's presidential election would proceed to a second-round runoff after first-round results showed no candidate had secured an outright victory. The tribunal announced the schedule from its headquarters in La Paz.

The August 17 vote in 2025 left the once-dominant Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party fractured and out of contention for the presidency. The runoff will pit the two highest-polling candidates against each other in a contest widely seen as a referendum on Bolivia's economic direction amid fuel shortages and dwindling foreign reserves.

The electoral tribunal said final tallies from all nine departments had been processed and certified, resolving disputes raised by smaller parties over vote counts in rural districts. The tribunal president confirmed the timeline for campaigning and international observation would begin immediately.

The outcome carries significant implications for Bolivia's foreign policy and relationships with Washington, Brasília, and Beijing. Analysts at the Fundación Jubileo, a La Paz-based research group, warn that whoever wins will inherit a severe dollar shortage, subsidized fuel imports the state can barely afford, and pressure to negotiate with international lenders.

Both campaigns pledged to respect the certified results and prepare for the runoff, according to statements released by their teams. The Organization of American States said it would deploy an electoral observation mission for the second round.