Bolivia suspended from Venezuela-led regional bloc after election of Rodrigo Paz
Bolivia has been suspended from the Venezuela-backed regional alliance known as ALBA-TCP (Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America) following the election of President-elect Rodrigo Paz.
The organisation announced the decision after Paz’s team signalled plans to distance Bolivia from left-wing governments in the region, calling for a foreign policy shift towards democratic and market-oriented partners.
ALBA-TCP was created in 2004 by Cuba and Venezuela as an alternative to US-influenced trade and political blocs, aiming to strengthen cooperation among left-leaning Latin American countries. Bolivia, a key member for years under previous administrations, had already left and re-entered the bloc in past political cycles. The new government’s stance — seen as a break with the legacy of Evo Morales — prompted ALBA to declare Bolivia’s position “incompatible” with its founding principles.
Analysts say the suspension underscores the waning influence of ideological alliances formed during Latin America’s early-2000s “pink tide.” As governments across the region pursue more pragmatic or centrist approaches, the continent’s once-unified leftist front appears increasingly fragmented.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
