Vice President of Bolivia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vice President of thePlurinational State of Bolivia |
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![]() Coat of arms of Bolivia
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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, officially known as the vice president of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is the second most important political job in Bolivia. The vice president steps in if the president is away or can't do their job. They also automatically lead the country's main law-making group, the Legislative Assembly.
Since the job started on November 19, 1826, thirty-nine men have served as vice president of Bolivia. José Ramón de Loayza was the very first vice president of the Republic of Bolivia. The 38th vice president, Álvaro García Linera, was the last vice president of the Republic of Bolivia. He was also the first vice president of the new Plurinational State of Bolivia. The current vice president is David Choquehuanca, who started on November 8, 2020.
The vice president is next in line to become president. They take over if the president dies, quits, or is removed from office. Four vice presidents have become president because their predecessor resigned. These were José Luis Tejada Sorzano, Mamerto Urriolagoitía, Jorge Quiroga, and Carlos Mesa. René Barrientos became president by removing the previous president, Víctor Paz Estenssoro. When Barrientos died suddenly, Luis Adolfo Siles Salinas became the only vice president to become president due to the death of the person before him.
Seven former vice presidents were later elected president on their own. These include Aniceto Arce, Mariano Baptista, Severo Fernández, Eliodoro Villazón, Hernán Siles Zuazo, René Barrientos, and Jaime Paz Zamora. Two others, José Miguel de Velasco and Mariano Enrique Calvo, became president in other ways. José Miguel de Velasco was the only vice president who had already been president before becoming vice president.
Who Are Bolivia's Vice Presidents?
Vice Presidents of the Republic of Bolivia (1826–1836)
The job of vice president began on November 19, 1826. This was during the time of President Antonio José de Sucre. It happened after the first constitution of Bolivia was created in 1826. However, President Sucre never chose someone for the role, so it stayed empty for a while.
The first person elected as vice president was José Miguel de Velasco on August 12, 1828. But he couldn't do the job because he had to act as interim president instead. This was because the elected president, Andrés de Santa Cruz, was not there.
Since Santa Cruz never took office, a special meeting was held on December 18, 1828. New leaders were chosen. José Ramón de Loayza was elected vice president to Pedro Blanco Soto. Loayza acted as president until December 26, when Soto took office. Then, Loayza officially became vice president for the first time.
Vice Presidency | Vice President | Party | Designation | Government | President | |||
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Office vacant 19 November 1826 – 18 December 1828 | Antonio José de Sucre |
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José María Pérez de Urdininea |
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Jose Miguel de Velasco Franco |
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1 | 18 December 1828 – 1 January 1828 End of mandate |
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José Ramón de Loayza |
Independent | Elected by the Constituent Assembly | Provisional | Acting to 26 Dec. 1828 |
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Pedro Blanco Soto |
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Office vacant 1 – 31 January 1829 | ||||||||
2 | 31 January 1829 – 23 July 1835 Dismissed |
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José Miguel de Velasco Franco |
Independent | Elected by the Constituent Assembly | Provisional (31 January 1829) |
Acting to 24 May 1829 |
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Reelected by the Constituent Congress | Constitutional
(14 August 1831) |
Andrés de Santa Cruz |
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3 | 23 July 1835 – 28 October 1836 Legal change |
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Mariano Enrique Calvo |
Independent | Appointed by Andrés de Santa Cruz | Constitutional |
Vice Presidents of the Bolivian State (1836–1839)
The Bolivian State was one of three states in the Peru–Bolivian Confederation. On October 28, 1836, Andrés de Santa Cruz became the Supreme Protector of the Confederation. He was also still the president of the Bolivian State. José Miguel de Velasco Franco stayed as vice president of the Bolivian State until July 23, 1835. Then, Mariano Enrique Calvo took over. For most of his time, Calvo acted as president when Santa Cruz was in Peru.
Vice Presidency | Vice President | Party | Designation | Government | President | |||
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3 | 28 October 1836 – 20 February 1839 Resigned from office |
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Mariano Enrique Calvo |
Independent | Elected by the Congress of Tapacarí | Constitutional | Andrés de Santa Cruz |
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Acting since 1836 |
Vice Presidents of the Republic of Bolivia (1880–2009)
After the Peru-Bolivian Confederation ended, José Miguel de Velasco took over from Andrés de Santa Cruz. He became president of the Bolivian State on February 22, 1839. This brought back the Republic of Bolivia. On October 26, 1839, de Velasco created a new constitution. This constitution removed the vice president's job. Instead, the President of the Senate was next in line to be president.
This continued until February 15, 1878, when a new constitution was made under Hilarión Daza. The 1878 Constitution brought back the vice president's job. However, it remained empty for the rest of Daza's time as president.
After Daza was removed, during the presidency of Narciso Campero, Bolivia had two vice presidents. On May 31, 1880, a special meeting appointed Aniceto Arce as the first vice president and Belisario Salinas as the second. Having two vice presidents became official with the 1880 Constitution on October 28. This constitution said both vice presidents were elected by popular vote. The first vice president led the Senate and could replace the president. The second vice president only replaced the president if the first vice president was unable to.
This system of two vice presidents lasted until January 24, 1921. At that time, a meeting called by Bautista Saavedra removed the second vice president's job. On December 4, 1939, interim president Carlos Quintanilla changed the constitution. He removed the vice president's office to stop former vice president Enrique Baldivieso from claiming the presidency. The job was brought back on November 24, 1945, with a new constitution during Gualberto Villarroel's presidency.
Vice Presidency | Vice President | Party | Designation | Government | President | |||
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Office vacant 22 February – 26 October 1839 | Jose Miguel de Velasco Franco |
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Office blank 26 October 1839 – 15 February 1878 |
List
Ágreda, Calvo, J. Ballivián, Guilarte, de Velasco, Belzu, Córdova, Linares, de Achá, Melgarejo, Morales, F. Ametller, A. Ballivián, F. Ametller
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Office vacant 15 February 1878 – 31 May 1880 | Hilarión Daza | |||||||
Narciso Campero | ||||||||
4 | 31 May 1880 – 11 March 1881 Dismissed |
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Aniceto Arce | Conservative | Elected by the National Convention |
Constitutional (1st) |
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Office vacant 11 May 1881 – 4 September 1884 | ||||||||
5 | 31 May 1880 – 4 September 1884 End of term |
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Belisario Salinas | Constitutional (2nd) |
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6 | 4 September 1884 – 15 August 1888 End of term |
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Mariano Baptista | Conservative | General Election of 1884 | Constitutional (1st) |
Gregorio Pacheco | |
7 | ![]() |
Jorge Oblitas | Constitutional (2nd) |
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8 | 15 August 1888 – 11 August 1892 End of term |
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José Manuel del Carpio |
Conservative | General Election of 1888 | Constitutional (1st) |
Aniceto Arce | |
9 | ![]() |
Serapio Reyes Ortiz |
Constitutional (2nd) |
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10 | 11 August 1892 – 19 August 1896 End of term |
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Severo Fernández | Conservative | General Election of 1892 | Constitutional (1st) |
Mariano Baptista | |
– | Office vacant | |||||||
11 | 19 August 1896 – 12 April 1899 Deposed by a coup d'état |
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Rafael Peña de Flores |
Conservative | General Election of 1896 | Constitutional (1st) |
Severo Fernández | |
12 | ![]() |
Jenaro Sanjinés | Constitutional (2nd) |
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Office vacant 12 April – 25 October 1899 | ||||||||
13 | 25 October 1899 – 23 January 1903 Dismissed |
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Lucio Pérez Velasco |
Liberal | Elected by the National Convention |
Constitutional (1st) |
José Manuel Pando |
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Office vacant 23 January 1903 – 14 August 1904 | ||||||||
14 | 25 October 1899 – 14 August 1904 End of term |
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Aníbal Capriles Cabrera |
Constitutional (2nd) |
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15 | 14 August 1904 – 12 August 1909 End of term |
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Eliodoro Villazón | Liberal | General Election of 1904 | Constitutional (1st) |
Ismael Montes | |
16 | ![]() |
Valentín Abecia Ayllón |
Constitutional (2nd) |
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17 | 12 August 1909 – 14 August 1913 End of term |
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Macario Pinilla Vargas |
Liberal | General Election of 1909 | Constitutional (1st) |
Eliodoro Villazón | |
18 | 12 August 1909 – 1 October 1915 Died in office |
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Juan Misael Saracho |
Constitutional (2nd) |
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Liberal | General Election of 1913 | Constitutional (1st) |
Ismael Montes | |||||
19 | 14 August 1913 – 15 August 1917 End of term |
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José Carrasco Torrico |
Constitutional (2nd) |
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20 | 15 August 1917 – 12 July 1920 Deposed by a coup d'état |
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Ismael Vázquez Virreira |
Liberal | General Election of 1917 | Constitutional (1st) |
José Gutiérrez Guerra |
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21 | ![]() |
José Santos Quinteros |
Constitutional (2nd) |
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Office vacant 13 July 1920 – 10 January 1926 | Bautista Saavedra | |||||||
Felipe Segundo Guzmán |
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22 | 10 January 1926 – 28 May 1930 De facto exiled |
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Abdón Saavedra | PRS | General Election of 1925 | Constitutional | Hernando Siles Reyes |
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Office vacant 28 May 1930 – 5 March 1931 | Carlos Blanco Galindo |
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23 | 5 March 1931 – 1 December 1934 Assumed presidency |
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José Luis Tejada Sorzano |
Liberal | General Election of 1931 | Constitutional | Daniel Salamanca Urey |
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Office vacant 1 December 1934 – 28 May 1938 | José Luis Tejada Sorzano |
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David Toro | ||||||||
Germán Busch | ||||||||
24 | 28 May 1938 – 24 April 1939 Dismissed |
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Enrique Baldivieso | PSU | Elected by the National Convention | Constitutional | ||
Office vacant 24 April – 4 December 1939 | ||||||||
Carlos Quintanilla | ||||||||
Office blank 4 December 1939 – 24 November 1945 | ||||||||
Enrique Peñaranda | ||||||||
Gualberto Villarroel | ||||||||
25 | 6 November 1945 – 21 July 1946 Deposed by a coup d'état |
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Julián Montellano | MNR | Elected by the National Convention | Constitutional | ||
Office vacant 21 July 1946 – 10 March 1947 | Néstor Guillén | |||||||
Tomás Monje | ||||||||
26 | 10 March 1947 – 24 October 1949 Assumed presidency |
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Mamerto Urriolagoitía | PURS | General Election of 1947 | Constitutional | Enrique Hertzog | |
Office vacant 22 October 1949 – 11 April 1952 | Mamerto Urriolagoitía | |||||||
Hugo Ballivián | ||||||||
27 | 11 April 1952 – 6 August 1956 End of term |
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Hernán Siles Zuazo |
MNR | Installed by a coup d'état | De facto | Acting to 15 Apr. 1952 |
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Víctor Paz Estenssoro |
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28 | 6 August 1956 – 24 June 1957 Resigned from office |
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Ñuflo Chávez Ortiz |
MNR | General Election of 1956 | Constitutional | Hernán Siles Zuazo |
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Office vacant 24 June 1957 – 6 August 1960 | ||||||||
29 | 6 August 1960 – 6 August 1964 End of term |
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Juan Lechín Oquendo |
MNR | General Election of 1960 | Constitutional | Víctor Paz Estenssoro |
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30 | 6 August 1964 – 4 November 1964 Assumed presidency |
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René Barrientos | MNR | General Election of 1964 | Constitutional | ||
Office vacant 5 November 1964 – 6 August 1966 | René Barrientos | |||||||
Alfredo Ovando Candía |
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31 | 6 August 1966 – 27 April 1969 Assumed presidency |
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Luis Adolfo Siles Salinas |
PSD | General Election of 1966 | Constitutional | René Barrientos | |
Office vacant 27 April 1969 – 10 October 1982 | ||||||||
32 | 10 October 1982 – 14 December 1984 Resigned from office |
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Jaime Paz Zamora |
MIR | General Election of 1980 | Constitutional | Hernán Siles Zuazo |
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Office vacant 14 December 1984 – 6 August 1985 | ||||||||
33 | 6 August 1985 – 6 August 1989 End of term |
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Julio Garrett Ayllón |
MNR | General Election of 1985 | Constitutional | Víctor Paz Estenssoro |
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34 | 6 August 1989 – 6 August 1993 End of term |
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Luis Ossio | PDC | General Election of 1989 | Constitutional | Jaime Paz Zamora |
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35 | 6 August 1993 – 6 August 1997 End of term |
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Víctor Hugo Cárdenas |
MRTKL | General Election of 1993 | Constitutional | Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada |
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36 | 6 August 1997 – 7 August 2001 Assumed presidency |
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Jorge Quiroga | ADN | General Election of 1997 | Constitutional | Hugo Banzer | |
Office vacant 7 August 2001 – 6 August 2002 | Jorge Quiroga | |||||||
37 | 6 August 2002 – 17 October 2003 Assumed presidency |
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Carlos Mesa | Independent | General Election of 2002 | Constitutional | Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada |
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Office vacant 17 October 2003 – 22 January 2006 | Carlos Mesa | |||||||
Eduardo Rodríguez | ||||||||
38 | 22 January 2006 – 22 January 2010 Legal change |
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Álvaro García Linera |
MAS | General Election of 2005 | Constitutional | Evo Morales |
Vice Presidents of the Plurinational State of Bolivia (2009–present)
The Plurinational State of Bolivia began when a new constitution was approved. This happened after a public vote on January 25, 2009. The new constitution changed the country's official name from Republic of Bolivia to the Plurinational State of Bolivia.
To fit the new constitution, general elections were held early on December 6, 2009. 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 | Designation | Government | President | |||
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38 | 22 January 2010 – 10 November 2019 Resigned from office under military pressure |
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Álvaro García Linera |
MAS | General Election of 2009 | Constitutional | Evo Morales | |
General Election of 2014 | ||||||||
Office vacant 10 November 2019 – 8 November 2020 | Jeanine Áñez | |||||||
39 | 8 November 2020 – Incumbent |
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David Choquehuanca | MAS | General Election of 2020 | Constitutional | Luis Arce |
Timeline of Vice Presidents

See also
- President of Bolivia
- List of presidents of Bolivia
- List of current vice presidents