Luis Arce

Luis Alberto Arce Catacora (born 28 September 1963), often referred to as Lucho, is a Bolivian former politician, banker, and economist who served as the 67th president of Bolivia from 2020 to 2025. A member of the Movement for Socialism (MAS), 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 within the country following the disputed 2019 election that culminated in Morales' resignation. During the interim government of President 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 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 55% 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 upon a shortage of foreign currency reserves beginning in 2023, exacerbated by decreased exports of natural gas and high inflation.