Rodrigo Paz
Rodrigo Paz Pereira was elected President of Bolivia in October 2025 and took office that November, ending twenty years of rule by the Movement for Socialism. Born in 1967 in Santiago de Compostela, he was born in exile: his father, Jaime Paz Zamora, was a left-wing politician who later served as president of Bolivia from 1989 to 1993, and his great-uncle Víctor Paz Estenssoro was president four times and led the revolution of 1952. He grew up between Spain, Bolivia and other countries of exile, studied international relations in the United States, and returned to build a career in Tarija — as a municipal councillor, then mayor, then deputy, then senator. His Christian Democratic Party was a minor force, and he was polling in single figures weeks before the first round. He won it with just over 32 per cent against a fragmented field, and took the run-off in October against the former president Jorge Quiroga with around 54 per cent. The election was decided by economic collapse rather than ideology. Bolivia had run out of dollars, natural gas production — the source of the export revenue that had financed two decades of redistribution — had fallen sharply, fuel subsidies had become unaffordable, and inflation was at levels not seen since the 1980s. The MAS vote split between Evo Morales, barred from standing, and the outgoing president Luis Arce. He campaigned on capitalism for all, fiscal consolidation and decentralisation towards the regions, while promising to protect social programmes. He is the third member of his family to hold the presidency. His vice-president, Edmand Lara, is a former police officer who campaigned separately on anti-corruption. The immediate task is restoring fuel and dollar supply without triggering the unrest that has followed every Bolivian austerity programme since 1985.
- Lived: 1967 CE – ?
- Nationality: Bolivian
- Roles: President of Bolivia (2025-present)
