Vice President of Bolivia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vice President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia
Coat of arms of Bolivia
Incumbent Edmand Lara since 8 November 2025
Residence	Vice Presidential Palace
Seat	La Paz
Nominator	Plurinational Electoral Organ
Appointer	Direct popular vote (two rounds if necessary)
Term length	Five years, renewable once consecutively
Inaugural holder	José Ramón de Loayza
Formation	19 November 1826
First holder	Álvaro García Linera
Salary	22,904 bolivianos per month
Website	www.vicepresidencia.gob.bo

The Vice President of Bolivia is a very important leader in Bolivia. This person holds the second-highest political position in the country. They help the President and can take over if the President cannot do their job. The Vice President also leads the country's main law-making group, called the Legislative Assembly.

The role of Vice President began on November 19, 1826. José Ramón de Loayza was the very first Vice President. Álvaro García Linera was a special Vice President. He was the last one for the old 'Republic of Bolivia' and the first for the new 'Plurinational State of Bolivia'.

Edmand Lara is the current Vice President of Bolivia. He took office on November 8, 2025.

If the President leaves office, the Vice President is next in line to become President. This has happened several times in Bolivia's history. For example, José Luis Tejada Sorzano and Carlos Mesa became President after their predecessors stepped down. Luis Adolfo Siles Salinas became President when the President before him passed away.

Some Vice Presidents were later elected President on their own, like Hernán Siles Zuazo and Jaime Paz Zamora. Others, such as José Miguel de Velasco, became President in different ways.

Understanding Bolivia's Vice Presidents

Early Days: The First Vice Presidents (1826-1836)

The role of Vice President was created on November 19, 1826. This happened during the time of President Antonio José de Sucre. It was part of Bolivia's first official rulebook, the Political Constitution of 1826. However, President Sucre did not choose anyone for the job during his term.

The first person elected as Vice President was José Miguel de Velasco in August 1828. But he ended up serving as acting President instead. Later, in December 1828, José Ramón de Loayza was chosen as Vice President. He served under President Pedro Blanco Soto.

Vice Presidency		Vice President		Party		Designation	Government	President
1	18 December 1828 – 1 January 1829 End of mandate		José Ramón de Loayza		Independent	Elected by the Constituent Assembly	Provisional	Acting to 26 Dec. 1828
								Pedro Blanco Soto
Office vacant 1 – 31 January 1829
2	31 January 1829 – 23 July 1835 Dismissed		José Miguel de Velasco Franco		Independent	Elected by the Constituent Assembly	Provisional (31 January 1829)	Acting to 24 May 1829
						Reelected by the Constituent Congress	Constitutional (14 August 1831)	Andrés de Santa Cruz
3	23 July 1835 – 28 October 1836 Legal change		Mariano Enrique Calvo		Independent	Appointed by Andrés de Santa Cruz	Constitutional

A Time of Change: The Bolivian State (1836-1839)

The Bolivian State was one of three parts of the Peru-Bolivian Confederation. On October 28, 1836, Andrés de Santa Cruz became the main leader of this Confederation. He was also the president of the Bolivian State. Mariano Enrique Calvo served as Vice President during this time. He often acted as president when Santa Cruz was in Peru.

Vice Presidency		Vice President		Party		Designation	Government	President
3	28 October 1836 – 20 February 1839 Resigned from office		Mariano Enrique Calvo		Independent	Elected by the Congress of Tapacarí	Constitutional	Andrés de Santa Cruz
								Acting since 1836

The Republic of Bolivia: A Long History (1880-2009)

Vice Presidential Palace in La Paz

After the Peru-Bolivian Confederation ended, Jose Miguel de Velasco became president. He brought back the Republic of Bolivia. In 1839, a new constitution removed the Vice President role. Instead, the leader of the Senate was next in line for the presidency. This changed in 1878 when the Vice President position was brought back.

A unique time came in 1880 when Bolivia had two Vice Presidents. Aniceto Arce and Belisario Salinas were chosen as the first and second Vice Presidents. The first Vice President led the Senate and could replace the President. The second Vice President would only step in if the first Vice President could not. This system of two Vice Presidents lasted until 1921.

The role of Vice President was removed again in 1939. But it was brought back in 1945 during President Gualberto Villarroel's time.

Vice Presidency		Vice President		Party		Election	Government	President
4	31 May 1880 – 11 March 1881 Dismissed		Aniceto Arce		Conservative	Elected by the National Convention	Constitutional (1st)	Narciso Campero
5	31 May 1880 – 4 September 1884 End of term		Belisario Salinas				Constitutional (2nd)
6	4 September 1884 – 15 August 1888 End of term		Mariano Baptista		Conservative	1884	Constitutional (1st)	Gregorio Pacheco
7			Jorge Oblitas				Constitutional (2nd)
8	15 August 1888 – 11 August 1892 End of term		José Manuel del Carpio		Conservative	1888	Constitutional (1st)	Aniceto Arce
9			Serapio Reyes Ortiz				Constitutional (2nd)
10	11 August 1892 – 19 August 1896 End of term		Severo Fernández		Conservative	1892	Constitutional (1st)	Mariano Baptista
11	19 August 1896 – 12 April 1899 Removed from office unexpectedly		Rafael Peña de Flores		Conservative	1896	Constitutional (1st)	Severo Fernández
12			Jenaro Sanjinés				Constitutional (2nd)
Office vacant 12 April – 25 October 1899
13	25 October 1899 – 23 January 1903 Dismissed		Lucio Pérez Velasco		Liberal	Elected by the National Convention	Constitutional (1st)	José Manuel Pando
14	25 October 1899 – 14 August 1904 End of term		Aníbal Capriles Cabrera				Constitutional (2nd)
15	14 August 1904 – 12 August 1909 End of term		Eliodoro Villazón		Liberal	1904	Constitutional (1st)	Ismael Montes
16			Valentín Abecia Ayllón				Constitutional (2nd)
17	12 August 1909 – 14 August 1913 End of term		Macario Pinilla Vargas		Liberal	1909	Constitutional (1st)	Eliodoro Villazón
18	12 August 1909 – 1 October 1915 Died in office		Juan Misael Saracho				Constitutional (2nd)
					Liberal	1913	Constitutional (1st)	Ismael Montes
19	14 August 1913 – 15 August 1917 End of term		José Carrasco Torrico				Constitutional (2nd)
20	15 August 1917 – 12 July 1920 Removed from office unexpectedly		Ismael Vázquez Virreira		Liberal	1917	Constitutional (1st)	José Gutiérrez Guerra
21			José Santos Quinteros				Constitutional (2nd)
Office vacant 13 July 1920 – 10 January 1926
22	10 January 1926 – 28 May 1930 De facto exiled		Abdón Saavedra		PRS	Dec 1925	Constitutional	Hernando Siles Reyes
Office vacant 28 May 1930 – 5 March 1931
23	5 March 1931 – 1 December 1934 Assumed presidency		José Luis Tejada Sorzano		Liberal	1931	Constitutional	Daniel Salamanca Urey
Office vacant 1 December 1934 – 28 May 1938
24	28 May 1938 – 24 April 1939 Dismissed		Enrique Baldivieso		PSU	Elected by the National Convention	Constitutional	Germán Busch
Office vacant 24 April – 24 November 1945
25	6 November 1945 – 21 July 1946 Removed from office unexpectedly		Julián Montellano		MNR	Elected by the National Convention	Constitutional	Gualberto Villarroel
Office vacant 21 July 1946 – 10 March 1947
26	10 March 1947 – 24 October 1949 Assumed presidency		Mamerto Urriolagoitía		PURS	1947	Constitutional	Enrique Hertzog
Office vacant 22 October 1949 – 11 April 1952
27	11 April 1952 – 6 August 1956 End of term		Hernán Siles Zuazo		MNR	Installed by a sudden change in leadership	De facto	Acting to 15 Apr. 1952
								Víctor Paz Estenssoro
28	6 August 1956 – 24 June 1957 Resigned from office		Ñuflo Chávez Ortiz		MNR	1956	Constitutional	Hernán Siles Zuazo
Office vacant 24 June 1957 – 6 August 1960
29	6 August 1960 – 6 August 1964 End of term		Juan Lechín Oquendo		MNR	1960	Constitutional	rowspan="2" Víctor Paz Estenssoro
30	6 August 1964 – 4 November 1964 Assumed presidency		René Barrientos		MNR	1964	Constitutional
Office vacant 5 November 1964 – 6 August 1966
31	6 August 1966 – 27 April 1969 Assumed presidency		Luis Adolfo Siles Salinas		PSD	1966	Constitutional	René Barrientos
Office vacant 27 April 1969 – 10 October 1982
32	10 October 1982 – 14 December 1984 Resigned from office		Jaime Paz Zamora		MIR	1980	Constitutional	Hernán Siles Zuazo
Office vacant 14 December 1984 – 6 August 1985
33	6 August 1985 – 6 August 1989 End of term		Julio Garrett Ayllón		MNR	1985	Constitutional	Víctor Paz Estenssoro
34	6 August 1989 – 6 August 1993 End of term		Luis Ossio		PDC	1989	Constitutional	Jaime Paz Zamora
35	6 August 1993 – 6 August 1997 End of term		Víctor Hugo Cárdenas		MRTKL	1993	Constitutional	Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada
36	6 August 1997 – 7 August 2001 Assumed presidency		Jorge Quiroga		ADN	1997	Constitutional	Hugo Banzer
Office vacant 7 August 2001 – 6 August 2002
37	6 August 2002 – 17 October 2003 Assumed presidency		Carlos Mesa		Independent	2002	Constitutional	Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada
Office vacant 17 October 2003 – 22 January 2006
38	22 January 2006 – 22 January 2010 Legal change		Álvaro García Linera		MAS	2005	Constitutional	Evo Morales

Modern Bolivia: The Plurinational State (2009-Present)

The 'Plurinational State of Bolivia' began with a new constitution in 2009. This new rulebook was approved by the people on January 25, 2009. It changed the country's official name from 'Republic of Bolivia'. To follow the new constitution, elections were held in December 2009. President Evo Morales and Vice President Álvaro García Linera won again. This made Álvaro García Linera the last Vice President of the Republic and the first of the Plurinational State.

Vice Presidency		Vice President		Party		Election	Government	President
38	22 January 2010 – 10 November 2019 Resigned from office		Álvaro García Linera		MAS	2009	Constitutional	Evo Morales
						2014
Office vacant 10 November 2019 – 8 November 2020
39	8 November 2020 – 8 November 2025		David Choquehuanca		MAS	2020	Constitutional	Luis Arce
40	8 November 2025 - Incumbent		Edmand Lara		PDC	2025	Constitutional	Rodrigo Paz Pereira

Timeline of Vice Presidents

See also

In Spanish: Vicepresidente de Bolivia para niños