Sens. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) called for the U.S. to strengthen ties with Bolivia after centrist Rodrigo Paz was elected as the country’s next president on Sunday.
Risch and Shaheen are the chair and ranking member, respectively, of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
“We congratulate President-elect Rodrigo Paz, the recently elected members of the Bolivian national legislature, and the Bolivian people on their historic election,” the senators wrote in a joint statement. “These elections demonstrate the will of the Bolivian people to chart a new course for their country and mark a victory for peaceful, democratic change in the region.”
Paz, who takes office on Nov. 8, defeated conservative Jorge Quiroga by roughly 9 percentage points. The Christian Democratic Party senator’s victory marks the end of two decades of leftist rule in the South American country.
He also visited Washington, D.C., prior to the election and expressed a desire to improve relations with the U.S. In September 2008, former Bolivian President Evo Morales expelled the American ambassador, Philip Goldberg, severing ties between the two countries.
Since then, Bolivia has not had an ambassador to the U.S., with Debra Hevia serving as chargé d’Affaires. The country is mired in an economic crisis, as natural exports exports have declined and its statist economic system has collapsed.
According to the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office, the country’s goods and services trade with Bolivia totaled roughly $1.6 billion last year. The U.S. had a $72.9 million goods trade deficit and a $283 million services trade surplus with its Latin American counterpart.
Risch and Shaheen said the U.S. should “upgrade our diplomatic presence” in Bolivia on account of the countries sharing “significant diplomatic, economic and security interests.” They added that they “look forward” to working with Secretary of State Marco Rubio on strengthening America’s relationship with Bolivia.
When reached for comment, the State Department referred The Hill to a joint statement, released on Tuesday, it co-authored with various South American, Central American and Caribbean governments and a Sunday statement from Rubio, both of which congratulate Paz.
In his statement, Rubio said that Paz’s election “marks a transformative opportunity for both nations.” He added that the U.S. is willing to partner with Bolivia on illegal migration, bilateral investments and combatting transnational criminal organizations.
The Hill has reached out to the State Department for comment on the statement penned by Risch and Shaheen.
The Associated Press contributed.
