Rodrigo Paz Pereira facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rodrigo Paz Pereira
Paz in 2025
68th President of Bolivia
Incumbent
Assumed office 8 November 2025
Vice President	Edmand Lara
Preceded by	Luis Arce
Senator for Tarija
In office 3 November 2020 – 8 November 2025
Preceded by	Marcelo Antezana
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, Galicia, Spain
Citizenship	Bolivia • Spain
Political party	PDC (2019; since 2025)
Other political affiliations	MIR–FRI (2002–2005) PODEMOS (2005–2008) CC (2020–2025)
Spouse	Maria Elena Urquidi
Children	4
Parents	Jaime Paz Zamora Carmen Pereira Carballo
Relatives	Víctor Paz Estenssoro (great-uncle) Xosé Manuel Beiras (uncle-in-law)
Education	San Ignacio School
Alma mater	American University in Washington, United States (BIGS, MPM)

Rodrigo Paz Pereira (born on September 22, 1967) is a Bolivian politician. He became the 68th President of Bolivia in 2025. He is the eldest son of former president Jaime Paz Zamora.

Before becoming president, he served as a senator for Tarija from 2020 to 2025. He was also the mayor of Tarija from 2015 to 2020. Earlier in his career, he was a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 2002 to 2010. He represented his father's Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR).

Paz Pereira was born in Spain while his father lived outside Bolivia for political reasons. He studied at the American University in Washington, United States. He later worked in diplomatic roles for the Bolivian government. In 2025, he ran for president with the Christian Democratic Party. He won the election after a second round of voting.

Early Life and Education

Rodrigo Atahualpa Paz Pereira was born on September 22, 1967, in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. His mother, Carmen Pereira Carballo, was from Spain. His father, Jaime Paz Zamora, was a Bolivian politician.

Because of his father's political activities, Rodrigo spent his childhood in different countries. He attended several Jesuit schools. When democracy returned to Bolivia, he studied at the San Ignacio School in La Paz.

Later, Paz Pereira went to the American University in Washington, D.C., United States. He earned a bachelor's degree in international relations. He also completed a master's degree in political management. After his studies, he worked in diplomatic roles. He served at the Bolivian embassy in Spain. He also worked with the World Trade Organization.

Starting His Political Journey

Rodrigo Paz Pereira began his political career in Bolivia. He was seen as one of the younger leaders following in his father's footsteps. In the 2002 elections, he was chosen by the MIR party. He ran as a candidate for Tarija.

He won his seat easily and became a member of the Chamber of Deputies. He served in the National Congress from 2002 to 2007. Even as the political landscape changed, Paz continued his work. He was re-elected as a Deputy for Tarija in the 2005 elections. This time, he was part of an alliance with Social Democratic Power.

Serving as Mayor of Tarija

After his time as a Deputy, Paz Pereira focused on local politics in Tarija. In 2010, he joined the United to Renew (UNIR) party. He was elected as the President of the Tarija Municipal Council. He held this position from 2010 to 2015.

In the 2015 regional elections, Paz Pereira ran for mayor of Tarija. He won the election with a large number of votes. He served as mayor from May 2015 until October 2020. During his time as mayor, he worked to improve the city. In 2019, he created his own political group called First the People (Primero la Gente). This group aimed to bring together different community groups.

His mayoral term was extended due to a period of political changes in Bolivia. However, he resigned in October 2020. He did this to take up his new role in the national legislature. The Municipal Council accepted his resignation. They then chose Alfonso Lema to be the new mayor.

As a Senator

In the 2019 elections, Paz Pereira's group allied with the Christian Democratic Party. His father, Jaime Paz Zamora, was a presidential candidate for this party. Later, Rodrigo Paz supported Carlos Mesa of Civic Community (CC).

In February 2020, his group formed an alliance with Civic Community. Paz Pereira became their candidate for first senator for Tarija. He was elected and served in the Chamber of Senators.

As a senator, Paz Pereira worked on important issues. He supported changes to how population counts (censuses) are done. He wanted to make sure the 2022 census was fair and open. He suggested creating local groups to help gather information. He also proposed committees to oversee the process. These efforts aimed to ensure transparency and community involvement.

He held important roles in the Senate:

• Second Vice President of the Senate (November 2020 – November 2021)
• President of the Rural Indigenous Nations and Peoples, Cultures, and Interculturality Commission (November 2021 – present)

President of Bolivia

Rodrigo Paz Pereira was chosen as the presidential candidate for the Christian Democratic Party. He ran in the 2025 general election. In the first round of voting on August 17, he received about 32% of the votes. This placed him first.

He then competed in a run-off election against former president Jorge Quiroga on October 19. Paz Pereira won this second round with 54.5% of the votes. This was the first time in Bolivia's history that a presidential election went to a run-off vote. He received congratulations from international leaders, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rodrigo Paz Pereira was inaugurated as president on November 8, 2025.

Electoral History

See also

In Spanish: Rodrigo Paz Pereira para niños