Rodrigo Paz Pereira (born 22 September 1967) is a Bolivian politician who has been the 68th President of Bolivia since 2025.[1] He is the oldest son of former president Jaime Paz Zamora. He was a senator for Tarija from 2020 until 2025. He was mayor of Tarija from 2015 to 2020. He was a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 2002 to 2010.
Rodrigo Paz Pereira | |
|---|---|
 Paz Pereira in 2025 | |
| 68th President of Bolivia | |
| Assumed office 8 November 2025 | |
| Vice President | Edmand Lara |
| Preceded by | Luis Arce |
| Senator for Tarija | |
| In office 3 November 2020 – 31 October 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 22 September 1967 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(s) | Maria Elena Urquidi |
| Children | 4 |
| Parents | Jaime Paz Zamora Carmen Pereira Carballo |
| Relatives | Víctor Paz Estenssoro (great-uncle) Camila Bossa (cousin) |
| Education | San Ignacio School |
| Alma mater | American University (BIGS, MPM) |
In the 2025 general election, Paz ran as the candidate for president of the Christian Democratic Party. He beat former president Jorge Quiroga in the first run-off vote in the history of the country.[2] He is the first conservative president in nearly 20 years.[3]
Early life
changeRodrigo Paz Pereira was born on 22 September 1967 in Santiago de Compostela, in Spain, the first-born son of Carmen Pereira Carballo, a citizen of Spain,[4] and then-Bolivian exiled citizen Jaime Paz Zamora.[5]
Paz spent his childhood in political exile, because of his father's political activity during the military dictatorships of the 1970s and early 1980s.
Paz studied at the 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.[6]
Political career
changeIn the 2002 general elections, the MIR nominated Paz as its candidate for Tarija. He won the election for a seat in the Chamber of Deputies.[7]
In 2015, he ran for Mayor of Tarija and won the election in a landslide, winning almost 60% of the city's votes.[8][9]
After the 2019 political crisis, Paz's mayoral term was extended by an extra year.[10] However, he resigned on 20 October 2020 to take office in the Plurinational Legislative Assembly.[11]
2025 presidential campaign
changePaz was named the Christian Democratic Party's nominee for president for the 2025 general election.[12] Former police officer Edmand Lara was his running mate. With around 32% of the vote, he came in first during the first round of voting on 17 August 2025.[13] He faced former President Jorge Quiroga.
Paz won the run-off, beating Quiroga on 19 October 2025 with 54.5% of the vote.[14] Paz became the first Bolivian president to be elected in a run-off election.[2] He is also the first conservative president in nearly 20 years.[3]
Personal life
changePaz is married to Maria Elena Urquidi and they have four children. His great-uncle is former President Víctor Paz Estenssoro.
References
change- ↑ Ione, Wells (20 October 2025). "Bolivia election: Centrist Rodrigo Paz elected in shift to the right". BBC. Retrieved 20 October 2025.
- 1 2 Esaá, Eumar (20 October 2025). "Bolivia sella su giro a la derecha: Rodrigo Paz hace historia tras alcanzar la Presidencia en el balotaje". France 24 (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 October 2025.
- 1 2 "Rodrigo Paz wins presidential runoff, becoming Bolivia's first conservative leader in decades". AP News. 2025-10-20. Retrieved 2025-10-20.
- ↑ Sosa, Francisco Rubén (23 August 2021). "Vida, pasión y exilio de un mensajero del MIR clandestino". Revista Rascacielos. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
- ↑ Piñeiro, Martín García (20 October 2025). "Los orígenes españoles de Rodrigo Paz, presidente electo de Bolivia". El Periódico. Retrieved 21 October 2025.
- ↑ Villarroel, Milenka (2013-03-17). "Un mirista desde la cuna. Rodrigo Paz Pereira". La Razón (in Spanish). La Paz. Archived from the original on 2022-03-22. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
- ↑ "Datos Oficiales de la CNE: Nomina de diputados y senadores electos". Agencia de Noticias Fides (in Spanish). La Paz. 2002-07-13. Archived from the original on 15 November 2021. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
- ↑ "Oscar Montes Barzón jura como alcalde por tercera vez". Centro de Investigación y Apoyo Campesino (in Spanish). 2015-05-31. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
- ↑ Mendoza, Sergio (2015-03-30). "Oposición arrasa en Tarija con más de la mitad de los votos". Página Siete (in Spanish). La Paz. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
- ↑ García Hernandez, Sergıo Felıpe (2020-01-16). Written at Bogotá. "Tribunal Constitucional de Bolivia extiende el mandato de presidenta interina Jeanine Áñez". Anadolu Agency (in Spanish). Ankara. Archived from the original on 2021-03-21. Retrieved 2022-03-22.
El TCP indicó que la extensión del mandato también se aplicará a los integrantes de la Asamblea Legislativa, a los alcaldes y gobernadores del país.
- ↑ "Rodrigo Paz renuncia como Alcalde de Tarija para asumir en la Asamblea Legislativa". Erbol (in Spanish). 2020-10-20. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 2022-01-11.
- ↑ "Rodrigo Paz es el candidato a la presidencia por el PDC". Agencia de Noticias Fides (in Spanish). 17 August 2025. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
- ↑ DeBre, Isabel (18 August 2025). "Bolivia's presidential vote headed for first-ever runoff between centrist, right-wing candidates". AP News. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
- ↑ "Rodrigo Paz wins presidential runoff, becoming Bolivia's first conservative leader in decades". AP News. 2025-10-20. Retrieved 2025-10-20.
Other websites
change
- Senate profile Archived 2021-12-12 at the Wayback Machine Chamber of Senators (in Spanish).
- Biography by CIDOB (in Spanish)
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