Rodrigo Paz facts for kids

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Paz in 2025
68th President of Bolivia
Incumbent
Assumed office 8 November 2025
Preceded by	Luis Arce
Senator for Tarija
In office 3 November 2020 – 8 November 2025
Mayor of Tarija
In office 30 May 2015 – 24 October 2020
Preceded by	Oscar Montes
Succeeded by	Alfonso Lema
President of the Tarija Municipal Council
In office 30 May 2010 – 30 May 2015
Preceded by	Roberto Ávila Castellanos
Succeeded by	Alfonso Lema
Member of the Chamber of Deputies from Tarija
In office 6 August 2002 – 22 January 2010
Preceded by	Pedro Sagredo
Succeeded by	Roy Cornejo Raña
Constituency	Circumscription 49 (2002–2006) Circumscription 46 (2006–2010)
Personal details
Born	Rodrigo Paz Pereira (1967-09-22) 22 September 1967 (age 58) Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Citizenship	Bolivia • Spain
Political party	PDC (2019; 2025)
Spouse	Maria Elena Urquidi
Children	4
Parent	Jaime Paz Zamora (father)
Relatives	Víctor Paz Estenssoro (great-uncle) Xosé Manuel Beiras (uncle-in-law)
Education	San Ignacio School
Alma mater	American University (BIGS, MPM)
Signature

Rodrigo Paz Pereira, born on September 22, 1967, is a well-known Bolivian politician and diplomat. He is currently the 68th President of Bolivia, having taken office in 2025. His family has a strong history in Bolivian politics; he is the eldest son of former president Jaime Paz Zamora and the great-nephew of another president, Víctor Paz Estenssoro. Before becoming president, Rodrigo Paz served as a senator for the Tarija region from 2020 to 2025. He also held the position of mayor of Tarija from 2015 to 2020 and was a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 2002 to 2010.

Born in Spain, Paz completed his studies at American University in Washington, D.C.. He began his career in government, working in various diplomatic roles. In 2025, he successfully ran for president as the candidate for the Christian Democratic Party. His victory marked a significant change in Bolivian politics. President Paz's political ideas are often described as centrist and populist. Since becoming president, he has promised to address economic challenges, increase foreign currency reserves, and resolve fuel shortages in the country.

Early life and career

A young Paz with George H. W. Bush in May 1990.

Rodrigo Paz Pereira was born on September 22, 1967, in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. His mother, Carmen Pereira Carballo, was from Spain, and his father, Jaime Paz Zamora, was a Bolivian who was living in exile at the time.

Rodrigo spent his childhood and teenage years living in different countries due to his father's political activities. He attended several Jesuit schools around the world. When democracy returned to Bolivia, he went to the San Ignacio School in La Paz. Later, Paz moved to the United States to study at American University in Washington, D.C. There, he earned a bachelor's degree in international relations with a focus on economics. He also completed a master's degree in political management. During the presidency of Hugo Banzer, Paz worked as a commercial attaché at the Bolivian Embassy in Spain. He also served as a representative to the World Trade Organization.

Political career

Rodrigo Paz began his political journey following in his family's footsteps. In the 2002 general elections, he was chosen by the Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR) to represent the Tarija region in the Chamber of Deputies. He won the election and served in the National Congress from 2002 to 2007. Even as the political landscape in Bolivia changed, Paz continued his career. In the 2005 general elections, he ran again for Tarija, this time in alliance with Social Democratic Power.

Mayor of Tarija (2015–2020)

By 2006, the MIR party faced challenges and lost its national registration. Paz then joined a group called United to Renew (UNIR). In the 2010 regional elections, he became the president of the Tarija Municipal Council, working under Mayor Óscar Montes. In 2015, Rodrigo Paz was nominated to become the next mayor of Tarija. He won the election with a large number of votes, becoming mayor from 2015 to 2020.

During his time as mayor, Paz decided to create his own political group called First the People (Primero la Gente; PG) in 2019. This group aimed to bring together different local and regional groups. His mayoral term was extended due to a political situation in 2019. However, he resigned in October 2020 to take his seat in the Plurinational Legislative Assembly. The Municipal Council accepted his resignation and chose Alfonso Lema as the new mayor.

A large public works project, the 4 de Julio Bridge, was started during Paz's time as mayor. The bridge was planned to be completed by December 2020. However, there were delays, and the contract with the construction company was eventually ended. The bridge was finally completed in November 2024 by the next administration.

Chamber of Senators

Paz's official portrait as senator in 2020

In the 2019 general elections, Paz's group, Primero la Gente, first allied with the Christian Democratic Party. Later, Paz decided to support Carlos Mesa of the Civic Community (CC). On February 3, 2020, Primero la Gente formed an alliance with Civic Community, and Paz became their candidate for first senator for Tarija. He won the election and became a senator.

As a senator, Paz actively supported changes to the census process planned for 2022. He proposed creating Departmental Institutes of Statistics (IDEs) to help gather local information. He believed this would make the census more transparent and involve local communities. He also asked for more information about the preparations for the census. When there wasn't enough time to create the IDEs, Paz suggested forming special committees. These committees would include representatives from local governments, universities, and social groups to ensure the census was fair.

During his time as senator, he served as the Second Vice President of the Senate from 2020 to 2021. He also became the President of the Rural Indigenous Nations and Peoples, Cultures, and Interculturality Commission in 2021.

Presidency (2025–present)

Argentine president Javier Milei with Paz on the latter's inauguration, 8 November 2025

Paz with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, 13 March 2026

Paz with Chilean President Gabriel Boric in November 2025

Rodrigo Paz was chosen as the Christian Democratic Party's candidate for president in the 2025 general election. In the first round of voting on August 17, he received about 32% of the votes, placing him first. He then won a second round against former president Jorge Quiroga on October 19, with 54.5% of the votes. This was a historic election for Bolivia. Many international leaders congratulated him, including the U.S. Secretary of State and the Israeli foreign minister. Argentine President Javier Milei also congratulated Paz, stating his victory marked a new era for Bolivia.

Paz officially became president on November 8, 2025. Many important guests attended the inauguration ceremony. These included presidents from Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The vice presidents of Brazil, Costa Rica, and El Salvador were also there. His father, former president Jaime Paz Zamora, watched his son take the oath of office.

In his inauguration speech, President Paz announced an emergency plan to solve Bolivia's fuel shortage. He arranged for 900 tanker trucks carrying gasoline and diesel to enter the country. The next day, he led a convoy of the first 40 trucks into Bolivia from Paraguay. On November 10, Paz asked the Armed Forces of Bolivia to prevent fuel from being illegally taken to other countries.

President Paz's government includes ministers who have mostly worked in international finance, development, or the private sector. The Ministry of the Environment is being abolished.

In response to floods in Samaipata, Santa Cruz, President Paz announced US$380,000 in humanitarian aid. He also created an emergency commission to help with the disaster.

In November, President Paz made a change in his cabinet. He dismissed the Minister of Justice and later abolished the Ministry of Justice entirely. This was one of his campaign promises.

He also removed four taxes to encourage private investment. These included the wealth tax, the financial transactions tax, the gambling tax, and the business promotions tax. This decision was welcomed by business leaders. In December, Paz signed a decree to remove restrictions on international satellite companies.

In the 2026 Bolivian regional elections, President Paz's political alliance faced a setback. They won only two out of nine governorships [es] in the runoff elections held on April 19. In June 2026, the Ministers of Defense, Education, and Labor resigned. These resignations happened amidst public protests. Demonstrators expressed concerns that the president was not fulfilling his campaign promises.

Foreign policy

Paz (far right) at the signing ceremony of the Shield of the Americas, 7 March 2026

President Paz's government has worked to improve Bolivia's relationships with other countries. Efforts were made to repair relations with the United States. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) was allowed back into Bolivia in 2025. It had been expelled in 2008. The focus of the DEA's return is on the coca-producing Chapare Province. On December 2, 2025, Paz's government allowed citizens from the United States, Israel, South Korea, and South Africa to enter Bolivia without a visa for up to 90 days. This reversed earlier restrictions. Relations between Bolivia and Israel, which had been stopped in 2023, were also restored under President Paz.

The government of President Paz has stated its intention to distance Bolivia from the governments of Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. Paz has also suggested improving relations with Chile. However, he has maintained Bolivia's strong claim for sovereign access to the Pacific Ocean. President Paz met with Argentine President Javier Milei on his inauguration day, which helped improve relations between Argentina and Bolivia.

On January 4, Bolivia placed travel restrictions on members of Venezuela's security forces and officials from the former Maduro government. President Paz stated that "freedom is not negotiable" and that "the way out for Venezuela is to respect the vote."

In February 2026, Bolivia ended its diplomatic relations with the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. This decision was made to strengthen ties with Morocco.

Political views

Rodrigo Paz is generally seen as a center-right politician. His views are described as conservative and populist, supporting a "Third Way" approach. In terms of the economy, he supports "capitalism for all." This plan is seen as favoring free markets, privatization, and decentralization. However, he also believes in the importance of social spending. Paz himself has said that he supports pragmatism, which means making practical decisions based on what works best.

Electoral history