Luis Arce | |
|---|---|
_Cropped_I.png) Official portrait, 2020 | |
| 67th President of Bolivia | |
| Assumed office 8 November 2020 | |
| Vice President | David Choquehuanca |
| Preceded by | Jeanine Áñez |
| Minister of Economy and Public Finance | |
| In office 23 January 2019 – 10 November 2019 | |
| President | Evo Morales |
| Preceded by | Mario Guillén |
| Succeeded by | José Luis Parada |
| In office 8 February 2009 – 24 June 2017 | |
| President | Evo Morales |
| Preceded by | Himself (as Minister of Finance) |
| Succeeded by | Mario Guillén |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 23 January 2006 – 8 February 2009 | |
| President | Evo Morales |
| Preceded by | Waldo Gutiérrez Iriarte |
| Succeeded by | Himself (as Minister of Economy and Public Finance) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Luis Alberto Arce Catacora 28 September 1963 La Paz, Bolivia |
| Political party | Movement for Socialism (not recognised by a faction)[1] |
| Other political affiliations | Socialist Party-1[a] |
| Spouses | Jéssica Mosqueira (divorced)
|
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) | Carlos Arce Olga Catacora |
| Education | Mexico School Institute of Banking Education |
| Alma mater | Higher University of San Andrés (BEc) University of Warwick (MEconSc) |
| Occupation |
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| Signature |  |
Luis Alberto Arce Catacora[b] (Latin American Spanish: [ˈlwis alˈβeɾto ˈaɾse kataˈkoɾa]; born 28 September 1963), often referred to as Lucho, is a Bolivian banker, economist, and politician serving as the 67th president of Bolivia since 2020. A member of the Movement for Socialism, he previously served as minister of finance—later minister of economy and public finance—from 2006 to 2017, and in 2019.
Born in La Paz, Arce graduated as an economist at the University of Warwick. His lifelong career in banking and accounting at the Central Bank of Bolivia prompted President Evo Morales to appoint him as minister of finance in 2006. For over ten years as Morales' longest-serving minister, Arce was hailed as the architect behind Bolivia's economic transformation, overseeing the nationalization of the country's hydrocarbons industry, the rapid expansion of GDP, and the reduction of poverty. His tenure was only brought to an end by a diagnosis of kidney cancer, which forced him to leave office to seek extended treatment abroad. Upon his recovery, Arce was reappointed to his position in January 2019 but resigned from office within the year amid the social unrest the country faced in October and November, culminating in Morales' removal as president soon thereafter amid allegations of electoral fraud. During the interim government of Jeanine Áñez, Arce sought asylum in Mexico and Argentina, where Morales—barred from running again—nominated him as the Movement for Socialism's presidential candidate in the elections scheduled for 2020. Throughout the campaign, Arce characterized himself as a moderating force, a proponent of his party's socialist ideals but not subservient to its leader, Morales. In a substantial victory, Arce won fifty-five percent of the popular vote.
Inaugurated on 8 November 2020, Arce's presidency brought Bolivia back in line domestically and internationally with its traditional position under Morales and away from the rightward shift the Áñez government had taken. Domestically, Arce's first year in office saw its greatest successes in combating the COVID-19 pandemic through the procurement of vaccines from Russian and Chinese sources. His government spearheaded an international call for the pharmaceutical industry to waive its patents on vaccines and medications in order to provide greater access to them by low-income countries. Though he succeeded in stabilizing the economy in the face of the health crisis, Arce's ability to conduct its growth was hampered by a vaccine hesitant population, which prolonged the pandemic's economic ramifications. Among the biggest challenges of the Arce administration was the urgent need for judicial reform in the country, which he pledged to address but was forced to delay on multiple occasions.
- ^ Molina, Fernando (5 October 2023). "El partido de Evo Morales expulsa al presidente Luis Arce y agrava la guerra política en Bolivia". El País (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 5 October 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
- ^ Pérez Munguía, Juan (8 May 2022). "PS1, alma mater de Arce, tiene estatuto, prevé sacar personería y apunta al 2025". Página Siete (in Spanish). La Paz. Archived from the original on 8 May 2022. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
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