Bolivia's first conservative president in 20 years promises warmer US ties

LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Bolivia's first conservative president-elect in 20 years, Rodrigo Paz, injected a sharp note of realism into his plans to tackle Bolivia's economic crisis on Monday, a day after his surprise electoral victory signaled the end of decades of leftist rule in the South American nation.

After years of government antipathy toward the U.S. under the Movement Toward Socialism party, Paz pledged to rebuild relations with Washington — and attract foreign investment to a country long locked out of international markets.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that Paz’s victory Sunday “marks a transformative opportunity for both nations" to work on investment, immigration, security and other matters.

“The message from Mr. Trump’s administration itself is a very clear and open signal,” Paz said at a news conference. “We will have a fluid relationship and commitments to cooperation and joint work between both nations.”

In another sign of the dramatic regional shift, Paz on Monday held a video call with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this month. After years of Bolivia aligning itself with Venezuela's increasingly repressive President Nicolás Maduro, Paz told Machado that his country was “here to join in the fight for Venezuela and for Latin American democracies.”

“These are very difficult times; here we have achieved a great step," he said of Bolivia's break with socialism.

Paz won 54.5% of the vote, according to preliminary results.

Paz defeated right-wing former President Jorge “Tuto” Quiroga in Sunday's presidential election runoff after a campaign in which both candidates reached out to Washington, though Quiroga was seen as having warmer ties with the Trump administration.

Quiroga pitched having the International Monetary Fund impose a fiscal shock package to right the economy, an unpopular move with many voters. Sensitive to the country’s deep-seated resentment of such international organizations under leftist rule, Paz rejected an IMF bailout.

He did reveal on Monday that he was talking to the Trump administration — among “other friendly countries” — to ensure Bolivia would have fuel imports after he takes office on Nov. 8.

“The process is underway. We are coordinating in the best way possible so that the much-needed fuel — gasoline and diesel — can arrive, and from that, we can bring calm to the population,” Paz said, without elaborating.

The commodities boom of the early 2000s sent money flowing into Bolivia under then- President Evo Morales as natural gas exports surged. But production slumped and, amid profligate spending on subsidies, the central bank has practically run out of U.S. dollars.

Without the cash to pay for imports, fuel lines stretch along the streets of major cities. Year-on-year inflation soared to 23% in September, the highest rate since 1991.

Paz — the son of former leftist President Jaime Paz Zamora — was a political unknown in the early stages of the campaign despite his two decades in politics, first as a mayor, then as a senator.

But his pick as a running mate of Edman Lara, a social media-savvy former police captain, transformed his campaign, solidifying his appeal to working-class and rural voters who saw themselves in Lara's own humble origin story and in his public struggles against what they see as a corrupt establishment.

Lara gained fame on TikTok in 2023 after being fired from the police force for denouncing corruption in viral videos.

Lara made populist promises like pension increases and cash handouts for the poor that flew in the face of Paz's grim economic arithmetic, but he helped differentiate Paz from Quiroga and whipped up excitement among many Bolivians who once belonged to the MAS party.

Morales, who governed for 14 years and was barred from this race due to a contentious court ruling on term limits, warned Paz and Lara on Monday that winning the votes of his former followers comes at a price.

“It does not give you a blank check,” Morales said. “It is a vote with a mandate ... not to apply neoliberal measures, not to submit to imperialism, not to be repressive, not to criminalize protest."

On Monday, Paz spoke soberly about the importance of cleaning house and restoring faith in Bolivia’s corruption-riddled institutions before making any splashy promises.

The leader of Paz’s economic team, José Gabriel Espinoza, told the AP that cash handouts for the poor were still financially feasible to help cushion the blow of lifting the country's expensive fuel subsidies.

Espinoza said that Congress had already approved a $3.5 billion loan to be disbursed over the coming months and that Paz is working on another $600 million to balance the books within the first 60 days of his presidency.

“Today we have a blind subsidy, we subsidize fuel for everyone. So what we’ll do is target the subsidy to poorer families through direct cash transfers, while keeping gasoline prices stable for transport workers,” said Espinoza.

When asked how he would draw foreign investment and take on foreign debt, Paz repeated: “First you put the house in order quickly."

That involves changing Bolivia's Constitution, he said, a prospect that has stirred fears among the country's Indigenous majority who finally found political representation in the 2005 election of MAS party founder Morales as the country’s first Indigenous president.

Under Morales, a 2009 constitution gave Indigenous and other grassroots groups a bigger role in electoral politics and decision-making after years of being treated as second-class citizens by Bolivia's largely white and mestizo, or mixed-race, minority. The constitution also overhauled the judicial system, making it more vulnerable to political influence.

Paz promised that his government would respect its commitment to the Indigenous majority but prioritize changes in a judiciary that for years has been seen as a political prize to be won rather than a check on government power. He pledged to convene a summit to produce concrete proposals the day after his inauguration.

To contain any frustration at his inability to fulfill his promises in the short term while pushing through difficult reforms, experts say that Paz will need to show the negotiating powers that he boasted of in his campaign.

He appeared aware of that in Monday's news conference, saying that he and Lara “have extended our hand to all political forces in Parliament.”

Presidential candidate Rodrigo Paz addresses supporters after preliminary results showed him leading in the presidential runoff election in La Paz, Bolivia, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)

CORRECTS PEDRO TO EDMAN LARA - President-elect Rodrigo Paz, left, and his running mate Edman Lara give a press conference in La Paz, Bolivia, Monday, Oct. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

President-elect Rodrigo Paz gives a press conference in La Paz, Bolivia, Monday, Oct. 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

Suppoters of presidential candidate Rodrigo Paz celebrate after early results showed him leading in the presidential runoff election in Tarija, Bolivia, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Freddy Barragan)

Suppoters of presidential candidate Rodrigo Paz celebrate after preliminary results showed him leading in the presidential runoff election in La Paz, Bolivia, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ivan Valencia)

Presidential candidate Rodrigo Paz waves a Bolivian flag after preliminary results showed him leading in the presidential runoff election in La Paz, Bolivia, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

Presidential candidate Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga embraces running mate Juan Pablo Velasco, right, after early results showed them trailing in the presidential runoff election in La Paz, Bolivia, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

Presidential candidate Rodrigo Paz waves to supporters after preliminary results showed him leading in the presidential runoff election in La Paz, Bolivia, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo//Natacha Pisarenko)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel said it launched airstrikes against Iranian missile launchers and a nuclear research site Tuesday, and Iran struck back against Israel and across the Gulf region, targeting U.S. embassies and disrupting energy supplies and travel.

Four days into a war that President Donald Trump suggested would last several weeks but perhaps longer, nearly 800 people have been killed in Iran, including some Trump said he had considered as possible future leaders of the country.

Explosions rang out Tuesday in Tehran and in Lebanon — where Israel said it retaliated against Hezbollah militants — and the American embassy in Saudi Arabia came under drone attack. Iran has fired dozens of ballistic missiles at Israel, though most of the incoming fire has been intercepted. Eleven people in Israel have been killed since the conflict began.

The spiraling nature of the war raised questions about when and how it would end. Trump seemed to leave open the possibility for more extensive U.S. military involvement, telling the New York Post on Monday that he was not ruling out the possibility of boots on the ground.

The administration has given various objectives. While the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Trump urged Iranians to overthrow their government, senior administration officials have since said regime change was not the goal.

Trump said Monday the military campaign’s four objectives were to destroy Iran’s missile capabilities, wipe out its navy, prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon and ensure that it cannot continue to support allied armed groups.

Trump said Tuesday that “someone from within” the Iranian regime might be the best choice to take power once the U.S.-Israel campaign is finished.

Speaking from the Oval Office Tuesday, Trump said Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s toppled Shah, is not someone that his administration has considered in depth to take over.

As far as possible leaders inside Iran, “the people we had in mind are dead,” Trump said.

“I guess the worst case would be do this, and then somebody takes over who’s as bad as the previous person, right? That could happen," Trump said. "We don’t want that to happen.”

Iran’s leaders are scrambling to replace Khamenei, who ruled the country for 37 years. It’s only the second time since the 1979 Islamic Revolution that a new supreme leader is being chosen. Potential candidates range from hard-liners committed to confrontation with the West to reformists who seek diplomatic engagement.

Information coming out of Iran has been limited because of poor communications, round-the-clock airstrikes and tight restrictions on journalists. But across Iran’s capital, aircraft were heard overhead and explosions rang out.

The Israeli military said it conducted a wave of airstrikes on sites that produce and store ballistic missiles, in Tehran and Isfahan. It also said it destroyed what it called Iran’s secret, underground nuclear headquarters. Without providing evidence, it said the site was used for scientific research “to develop a key component for nuclear weapons.”

“The regime attempted to rebuild its efforts and conceal them, thinking we wouldn’t notice. They were mistaken,” said Israeli military spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin.

Iran has said it has not enriched uranium since June, though it has maintained its right to and says its nuclear program is peaceful.

The United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment site had sustained “some recent damage,” though there was “no radiological consequence expected.” The U.S. hit Natanz during the 12-day war in June, when Israeli and American strikes greatly weakened Iran's nuclear program.

New rounds of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes rattled Tehran and several other Iranian cities.

“Since midnight, I and my wife are hearing sound of explosions,” said Ali Amoli, an engineer living in north Tehran. “Sometimes from the west side of the city and sometimes from other directions.” Streets and gas stations appeared quieter than in recent days.

Local media published images of a damaged commercial plane at Bushehr airport that broke apart following an airstrike on Tuesday.

A north Tehran resident who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation described growing fears in the capital as it comes under heavy bombardment. The resident said most stores in the normally bustling area of Tajrish were closed, though bakeries and supermarkets remained open.

An attack from two drones on the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh caused a “limited fire,” according to Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry, and the embassy urged Americans to avoid the compound. It followed an attack on the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait. U.S. Embassies in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Lebanon said they were closed to the public.

The U.S. State Department ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. The U.S. also urged citizens to leave more than a dozen Middle Eastern countries, though with much of the airspace closed many were stranded.

The State Department said Tuesday it’s preparing military and charter flights for Americans who want to leave the Middle East. Several other countries also arranged evacuation flights for their citizens.

The U.S.-Israeli strikes have killed at least 787 people in Iran, according to the Red Crescent Society. In Lebanon, where Israel launched retaliatory strikes on the Iranian-supported militant group Hezbollah, 40 people were killed, including seven children, in Lebanon, the health ministry said. The ministry had previously said 52 people were killed.

The U.S. military has confirmed six deaths of American service members. In addition, three people were killed in the United Arab Emirates, and one each in Kuwait and Bahrain.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Tuesday criticized Iran's attacks against Gulf neighbors that had worked to prevent war as an “incredibly flawed strategy” that threatened to widen the war if these states decide to retaliate.

This story has been updated to correct that communications in Iran are poor, but that the internet isn't shut down. It also clarifies that more than one drone hit the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia. Some instances referred to just one drone.

Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece, and Magdy from Cairo. Seung Min Kim, Michelle Price and Konstantin Toropin in Washington, David Rising in Bangkok, Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, Hallie Golden in Seattle, Giovanna Dell'Orto in Miami, and Suzan Fraser in Ankara, Turkey, contributed to this report.

A firefighter extinguishes fire at a building that was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

A woman crosses almost deserted square with a billboard at rear showing a portrait of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the U.S.–Israeli military campaign, in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Smoke rises from a destroyed building that was hit by an Israeli airstrike in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

An Iranian flag is placed among the ruins of a police station struck Monday during the U.S.–Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Smoke rises from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Jewish men covered in prayer shawls pray in an underground parking garage as a precaution against possible Iranian missile attacks, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

A group of men inspects the ruins of a police station struck Monday amid the U.S.–Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Smoke rises from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Smoke rises from Israeli airstrikes in Dahiyeh, a southern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, early Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)

This image provided by U.S. Central Command shows a F-35C Lightning II preparing for launch on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) in support of Operation Epic Fury on Monday, March 2, 2026. (U.S. Navy via AP)

Mourners take cover while air-raid sirens warn of incoming missiles launched by Iran toward Israel during the funeral of Sarah Elimelech and her daughter Ronit who were killed in an Iranian missile attack, in Beit Shemesh, Israel, Monday, March 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

A worker instals a billboard on an overpass containing a portrait of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed during the ongoing joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign, in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)

Smoke engulfs a street after a strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohsen Ganji)