Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz removed Economic Minister Jose Gabriel Espinoza on Friday after Congress censured him, according to a decree published in the government’s official gazette. Oscar Mario Justiniano Pinto was named interim economy minister until a permanent appointment is made.
The decree gives no timeline for selecting a permanent replacement. The decision reverses the Paz administration’s initial plan to challenge the censure while a tribunal reviewed the dispute, and comes as the government seeks congressional backing for economic reforms and a financing programme from the International Monetary Fund.
What the decree changes
The decree removes Espinoza from office and places Justiniano Pinto in charge temporarily. It does not specify how long the interim arrangement will last or when a permanent economy minister will be appointed.
The move is likely to be viewed as a concession to Congress after opposition lawmaker Roland Pacheco said Paz was showing humility and complying with the Constitution. Under Bolivia’s constitution, a congressional censure leads to a subsequent dismissal.
Related coverage: Pakistan’s former prime minister transferred to Shifa International Hospital.
How the dispute unfolded
On Tuesday, Congress censured Espinoza after he failed to appear before legislators to answer questions about the economy. The right-wing Paz administration initially said it would fight the decision during a tribunal review before changing course with Friday’s decree.
Why the timing matters
Paz is seeking congressional support for a package of economic reforms and an IMF financing programme while facing public anger over Bolivia’s cost-of-living crisis. More than 37 percent of the population was below the national poverty line in 2024, according to the source material.
Bolivia’s economic strain has included declining natural-gas production and falling foreign-currency reserves. The government also faced protests after ending longstanding fuel subsidies in December and unrest over a land-reform policy signed in April, which Paz reversed the following month.
The administration continues to face opposition from supporters of former President Evo Morales, who has urged resistance to Paz’s austerity measures. Morales also faces arrest warrants issued in Bolivia, including one related to alleged encouragement of an armed uprising in June and another involving a statutory-rape allegation.
No comments yet. Start the discussion.