Luis Arce

Luis Alberto Arce Catacora (Latin American Spanish: [ˈlwis alˈβeɾto ˈaɾse kataˈkoɾa]; born 28 September 1963), often referred to as Lucho, is a Bolivian politician, banker, and economist 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 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 new elections scheduled for 2020. Arce characterized himself as a moderating force, a proponent of his party's socialist ideals (but not subservient to its leader, Morales) and won with fifty-five percent of the popular vote, defeating former president Carlos Mesa.

Inaugurated in November 2020, Arce's presidency brought Bolivia back in line domestically and internationally with its positions under MAS leadership and away from the rightward shift of Jeanine Áñez's government. Domestically, Arce's first year in office saw success in combating the COVID-19 pandemic and stabilizing the economy during the pandemic's outbreak. 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. The initial successes of Arce's government were eventually overshadowed by a socioeconomic crisis in Bolivia starting in 2023 upon a shortage of foreign currency reserves, decreased exports of natural gas, and high inflation - compounded by political tensions stemming from a power struggle between Arce and former president Morales for party influence and candidacy in the 2025 elections.

In July 2024, an attempted coup against Arce took place in Plaza Murillo, with Morales accusing Arce staging a self-coup due to declining popular support. Despite Morales' exit as party leader and Arce ultimately becoming the MAS nominee for re-election (with term-limits and legal challenges barring Morales' participation), unfavorable polling prompted Arce to renounce his bid for re-election in May and Eduardo del Castillo taking over the MAS ticket, with Arce citing an intention to not divide the leftist vote or aid "a fascist right-wing project" in Bolivia. Upon threats by Morales allies against family members of Supreme Electoral Court members and a bomb threat against the court, Arce's government has signaled intentions to prosecute Morales on charges of terrorism.