LatinNews Daily - 09 November 2020

Bolivia: On 4 November, US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo phoned Bolivia’s President-elect Luis Arce to congratulate him on his 18 October election victory, as well as to discuss the possibility of improving bilateral relations, in particular through “enhanced economic cooperation” and increased US support for Bolivia’s response to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. Pompeo had already congratulated Arce in a press release published on 21 October, three days after the election in Bolivia, in which he also praised the country’s electoral tribunal (TSE) on running a “credible process”, despite fears that the result could be contested. The US sent a delegation to Arce’s inauguration on 8 November, but Pompeo was not in attendance – the delegation was instead headed by Brent McIntosh, Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs. Relations between the US and Bolivia had long been frosty under former president, Evo Morales (2006-2019), under whom Arce served as economy minister, but US officials appear to be hopeful that this could change once Arce is in power.

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