"Bolivia’s two presidential contenders, centrist Senator Rodrigo Paz and former conservative President Jorge 'Tuto' Quiroga, faced each other on Sunday in a nationally televised debate ahead of the second-round election scheduled for next week. The event, organised by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), marked Bolivia’s first presidential debate in more than 20 years, allowing voters to compare candidates’ platforms live. Over two hours, the rivals discussed six key themes, including the economy, social policy, and governance reforms. Rodrigo Paz, who leads the Christian Democratic Party (PDC), pledged to reduce the tax burden on both businesses and citizens to boost liquidity and stimulate growth. He also vowed to eliminate what he called 'inefficient or corrupt' subsidies, which he said fuel smuggling and misuse of public funds. “We will proceed with the subsidy cut. No more blind subsidies that encourage smuggling and corruption,” he said, assuring that public transport, healthcare, food, and basic utilities would continue to receive government support. Jorge Quiroga, representing Alianza Libre, focused on addressing the country’s fuel shortages and inflation, promising swift stabilisation measures if elected. “We will end diesel and gasoline queues from the start. We will bring in the dollars to ensure normality and end the crisis for good. And we will guarantee controlled inflation, so prices no longer eat away at your pocket going forward,” Quiroga said. The former president also called for new mining legislation to make Bolivia regionally competitive, noting that Chile and Peru outpace Bolivia by eight to twelve times in mining exports despite similar geological potential. “We must open up to the world and attract investment,” he said. TSE president Oscar Hassenteufel described the debate as 'historic', stressing that two decades without open dialogue had deprived citizens of direct policy comparisons. The run-off election, set for October 20, will pit Paz and his running mate, former police captain Edman Lara, against Quiroga and tech entrepreneur Juan Pablo Velasco. Electoral silence begins on October 16, 72 hours before polls open."