Rodrigo Paz
President
Timeline
Born in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
Elected to the Chamber of Deputies for Tarija, serving until 2010.
Served as President of the Tarija Municipal Council until 2015.
Elected Mayor of Tarija, serving until 2020.
Elected as a senator for Tarija, serving until 2025.
Elected President of Bolivia in a general election run-off.
Inaugurated as President of Bolivia on 8 November.
Biography
Rodrigo Paz Pereira is the 68th president of Bolivia, serving since 2025. Born in Spain in 1967, he is the eldest son of former president Jaime Paz Zamora and great-nephew of Víctor Paz Estenssoro. His political career includes serving as a senator for Tarija (2020-2025), mayor of Tarija (2015-2020), and a member of the Chamber of Deputies (2002-2010) for the Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR). In the 2025 general election, Paz ran as the Christian Democratic Party candidate, winning in a second-round run-off against Jorge Quiroga, an upset that ended MAS's 20-year dominance. His administration has pledged to resolve a socioeconomic crisis, replenish foreign currency reserves, and end fuel shortages.
Early Life & Background
Rodrigo Paz Pereira was born on 22 September 1967 in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, to Carmen Pereira Carballo, a Spanish native, and Jaime Paz Zamora, then an exiled Bolivian national. He is the eldest son of former president Jaime Paz Zamora and great-nephew of president Víctor Paz Estenssoro. Paz spent his childhood and adolescence in political exile due to his father's political activities. He is also related to Argentine general José María Paz and is a cousin of actress Camila Bossa.
Education
Paz studied in numerous Jesuit schools in several countries during his childhood. After democracy was re-established in Bolivia, he attended the San Ignacio School in La Paz. He later studied at American University in Washington, D.C., United States, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in international relations with a major in economics and a master's in political management.
Political & Professional Career
Paz began his career in diplomacy, serving as a commercial attaché at the Bolivian Embassy in Spain and chargé d'affaires to the World Trade Organization during Hugo Banzer's second presidency. He was first elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 2002, representing Tarija for the Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR) until 2010. Following MIR's dissolution, he served as President of the Tarija Municipal Council from 2010 to 2015. He was then elected Mayor of Tarija in 2015, serving until 2020. In 2020, he was elected as a senator for Tarija as part of the Civic Community party. In 2025, Paz was nominated by the Christian Democratic Party for president, winning the election in a second-round run-off and assuming office on 8 November 2025.
Key Achievements & Legacy
Elected 68th President of Bolivia in 2025, marking the end of MAS's 20-year dominance in the country., Won the 2025 presidential election in a second-round run-off, the first time this mechanism had been used in Bolivia's history., Launched an emergency operation upon assuming office to address Bolivia's fuel shortage, allowing 900 tanker trucks to enter the country., Successfully led the First the People (Primero la Gente; PG) civic group, consolidating municipal and departmental sectors into a political alliance.