Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Monday congratulated Bolivia’s president-elect, Rodrigo Paz Pereira, on his win in the runoff election.

“I congratulate President-elect Rodrigo Paz on his election as the new President of Bolivia. We extend our warm wishes to the Bolivian people for their democratic process and their choice for renewal,” said Sa’ar.

The election marked the first time in 20 years that no candidate from the Socialist Mas party was on the ballot, and Paz Pereira’s win in the first round surprised many, having started at the bottom of opinion polls.

Paz Pereira, a center-right senator, in his presidential campaign has stressed repairing relations with Western partners, including the United States.

Sa’ar said the Jewish state looked forward to “opening a new chapter in our bilateral relations and advancing cooperation in a wide range of fields for the benefit of both nations.”

Jerusalem’s top diplomat in his X post noted that La Paz “has a long history of friendship with Israel and the Jewish people.”

Under the Mas party, Bolivia became the first to sever relations with Israel in the wake of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas massacre, announcing on Nov. 1, 2023, that it was cutting all diplomatic ties.

Chile, Colombia and Honduras soon all followed with the recall of their ambassadors from Israel and the downgrading of official representation. 

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