Marcelo Claure aims to reshape Bolivia’s future with pro-market candidate

The billionaire's plan to back a business-friendly candidate in Bolivia’s 2025 elections could reshape the nation’s future.

Marcelo Claure, founder and CEO of Claure Group LLC and vice chairman of Shein Inc., during an interview in New York, US, on April 30, 2025. Photo by Victor J. Blue/Bloomberg

By Anna Fadiah and Hayu Andini

Marcelo Claure, a Bolivian billionaire with a reputation for reshaping industries, is setting his sights on altering the course of his home country’s political future. Claure, a former executive at Sprint and SoftBank, is using his vast financial resources and influence to back a pro-market candidate in Bolivia’s upcoming presidential elections. With the country grappling with severe inflation and growing fuel shortages, Claure believes this year’s vote could provide Bolivia with an opportunity to elect a government that supports business growth and market-friendly reforms.

Though Claure has not set foot in Bolivia for over a year due to security concerns and potential arrest threats, his commitment to transforming his country's politics remains unwavering. In a rare interview with Bloomberg, Claure shared his determination to use all available resources, including technology, financial power, and his personal voice, to back the right candidate. His goal is clear: prevent Bolivia from veering toward a socialist regime similar to Venezuela’s.

“I’m going to use everything that I have: technology, financial resources, my voice,” Claure stated. “We will put whatever financial resources are necessary.”

Bolivia’s political divide

Bolivia's political landscape has been shaped by the long-standing dominance of the socialist MAS (Movement for Socialism) party. However, with the country facing its worst economic crisis in decades, President Luis Arce, who is seeking re-election, is struggling with low approval ratings. Former President Evo Morales, who governed from 2006 to 2019, also plans to run, although he faces legal obstacles due to charges of statutory rape, which he denies. Another left-wing candidate, Senate President Andronico Rodriguez, has also declared his intention to run.

On the other side of the political spectrum, the opposition is fragmented, with at least four right-wing candidates competing for the presidency. None of them have yet established themselves as a clear frontrunner, making it a complex and uncertain race.

Claure’s primary goal is to unite the opposition, encouraging candidates to agree on a single pro-business nominee who could challenge the MAS party’s stronghold. Despite offering financial support to persuade opposition candidates to cooperate, his efforts have been met with resistance.

Bolivian law places strict limits on political donations, but election experts suggest workarounds are common, such as undeclared bank accounts or indirect forms of support. Claure has committed to following the law but has declined to reveal the exact amount he plans to contribute to the campaign.

A Harvard meeting to unite opposition candidates

To further his goal of uniting the opposition, Claure is hosting a pivotal meeting later this month at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. At this event, a plan for Bolivia’s economic revitalization, commissioned by Claure himself, will be presented. Behind the scenes, the meeting will likely serve as a last-ditch effort to convince the opposition candidates to consolidate their forces around one candidate, who can then benefit from Claure’s financial backing.

“My commitment to the Bolivian people is to try to unite them, to choose one that 90% of the country will rally behind,” Claure said.

If no consensus is reached among the candidates, Claure has hinted that he will choose a candidate to support based on the results of polls he has commissioned.

Claure’s strategy and comparisons to Elon Musk

The billionaire’s quest to influence Bolivia’s elections has drawn comparisons to other wealthy individuals who have played significant roles in shaping their countries' political landscapes. One such figure is Elon Musk, who invested millions to support Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. However, Claure asserts that his intentions differ from Musk’s, emphasizing his deep personal connection to Bolivia and his desire to fix its economic and political system.

“I have no idea what Elon’s intentions are, but my intentions are I want to help fix my country,” Claure explained.

While Claure remains open to taking on an advisory role in the future government, he insists that his current focus is on ensuring Bolivia adopts pro-market policies that encourage foreign investment and transparency.

From Sprint to Shein: Claure’s career trajectory

Born in La Paz in 1970, Claure’s journey to becoming one of the world’s wealthiest men has largely taken place outside of Bolivia. After attending elite private schools and universities in the United States, he rose to prominence as the CEO of Sprint, later helping negotiate its merger with T-Mobile. He also served as a top executive at SoftBank, overseeing international operations and attempting to turn around WeWork before leaving in 2022. Today, Claure is vice chairman of Shein, a major Chinese e-retailer, and continues to invest in Latin American startups.

Despite his extensive business empire, Claure has invested little in Bolivia. However, he does own Club Bolívar, one of the country’s most popular soccer teams, a venture that faced tax audits after Claure’s increasing political involvement.

Claure’s call for market reforms and investment in lithium

Bolivia is home to some of the world’s largest lithium reserves, but the country has struggled to capitalize on this valuable resource. Claure has expressed interest in investing in Bolivia’s lithium industry, but only if the government implements the pro-market reforms necessary to attract foreign investment.

Claure’s criticism of Bolivia’s socialist leaders, particularly Evo Morales, has grown in recent years. While Morales presided over a period of economic growth fueled by natural gas exports, Bolivia now faces rising inflation, dwindling gas reserves, and large fiscal deficits. Claure believes the socialist policies that sustained the economy under Morales have led to its current decline.

Despite Morales’s claims that his leadership led Bolivia to prosperity, Claure blames the former president for the nation’s economic struggles. In a show of frustration, Claure recently floated the idea of offering a $1 million reward for the capture of Morales, who has gone into hiding after a court issued an arrest warrant against him.

The opposition’s future

In the absence of a united opposition, Claure continues to commission polling data to better understand which candidates are most likely to unite Bolivia’s electorate. His most recent poll indicated that a single opposition candidate could defeat the MAS party in the first round of voting, but the fractured opposition risks splitting the vote and forcing a runoff.

Claure is determined to avoid such a scenario, which he fears could result in election fraud. As part of his efforts, he is leading an initiative to involve citizen observers in the electoral process to ensure greater transparency and fairness.

Claure’s future in Bolivia’s government

Despite his significant financial influence, Claure remains cautious about his future role in Bolivia’s government. While he is open to taking on a leadership position, he has not specified which candidate he intends to support.

Bolivia’s 2025 election is shaping up to be a highly contested and unpredictable race. With Claure’s wealth and political influence, the outcome of the election could have far-reaching implications for the nation’s economic future. However, as political analysts note, it is still unclear how much impact Claure will ultimately have on the election results. Only time will tell whether his efforts to unite the opposition will succeed or whether his quest to reshape Bolivia’s political system will falter.