The Arce Cabinet constituted the 222nd cabinet of the Plurinational State of Bolivia. It was formed on 9 November 2020, one day after Luis Arce was sworn in as the 67th president of Bolivia following the 2020 general election, succeeding the Áñez Cabinet. The cabinet is composed entirely of members of the ruling Movement for Socialism. Described as a "technocratic" cabinet, it was noted for the low-profile and youth of some of its members as well as its political distance from former president Evo Morales.
Council of Ministers
Composition Portfolio Minister Party Term of office Portrait Name Incumbent Term Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rogelio Mayta Movement forSocialism 9 November 2020 Portfolio Vice Minister Party Took office Left office Term Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Freddy Mamani Machaca MAS Prof. 4 December 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Foreign Tradeand Integration Benjamín Blanco MAS Bus. 1 December 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Institutionaland Consular Management Eva Gloria Chuquimia MAS Law. 1 December 2020 Incumbent Ministry of the Presidency María Nela Prada Movement forSocialism 9 November 2020 Portfolio Vice Minister Party Took office Left office Term Vice Minister of Coordinationand Government Management Freddy Bobaryn MAS Poli. 13 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Coordination withSocial Movements and Civil Society Juan Villca MAS Uni. 12 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Autonomies David Pérez Rapu MAS Eco. 24 November 2020 13 May 2021 Álvaro Ruiz García MAS Law. 14 May 2021 Incumbent Vice Minister of Communication Gabriela Alcón MAS Jrnl. 12 November 2020 Incumbent Ministry of Government Eduardo del Castillo Movement forSocialism 9 November 2020
Portfolio Vice Minister Party Took office Left office Term Vice Minister of Citizen Security Gonzalo Lazcano MAS Law. 19 November 2020 7 April 2021 Roberto Ríos MAS Law. 7 April 2021 Incumbent Vice Minister of Internal Affairsand Police Emilio Rodas MAS Law. 19 November 2020 28 June 2021 Nelson Cox MAS Law. 28 June 2021 10 January 2022 colspan=6 Vice Minister of Social Defenseand Controlled Substances Jaime Mamani MAS Uni. 13 November 2020 Incumbent Ministry of Defense Edmundo Novillo Movement forSocialism 9 November 2020 Portfolio Vice Minister Party Took office Left office Term Vice Minister of Civil Defense Juan Carlos Calvimontes MAS Dr. 12 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Defense andCooperation to Integral Development José Manuel Puente MAS Mil. 17 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of the Fight AgainstSmuggling Gonzalo Renán Rodríguez MAS Mil. 17 November 2020 27 February 2021 colspan=6 Daniel Pedro Vargas MAS Mil. 23 April 2021 Incumbent Ministry ofDevelopment Planning Gabriela Mendoza Movement forSocialism 9 November 2020 Portfolio Vice Minister Party Took office Left office Term Vice Minister of Planningand Coordination Diego Pacheco MAS – 10 December 2020 12 April 2021 colspan=6 Marcelo Laura MAS – 16 April 2021 Incumbent Vice Minister of Public Investmentand External Financing Harley Rodríguez MAS – 10 December 2020 12 April 2021 colspan=6 David Guachalla MAS – 16 April 2021 Incumbent Vice Minister of StrategicPlanning of the State Huáscar Ajata MAS – 11 January 2021 Incumbent Ministry of Economyand Public Finance Marcelo Montenegro Movement forSocialism 9 November 2020 Portfolio Vice Minister Party Took office Left office Term Vice Minister of Budgetand Fiscal Accounting Zenón Mamani MAS Acct. 12 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Tax Policy Johnny Morales MAS Eco. 12 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Pensionsand Financial Services Ivette Espinoza MAS Eco. 12 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of the Treasuryand Public Credit Sergio Cusicanqui MAS Eco. 12 November 2020 Incumbent Ministry of Hydrocarbonsand Energies Franklin Molina Ortiz Movement forSocialism 9 November 2020 Portfolio Vice Minister Party Took office Left office Term Vice Minister of Explorationand Exploitation of Hydrocarbons Luis Poma MAS Geo. 27 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Industrialization,Commercialization, Transportationand Storage of Hydrocarbons William Donaire MAS – 23 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of EnergyPlanning and Development Mario Alberto Sapiencia Arrieta MAS – 16 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of HighEnergy Technologies Álvaro Arnez MAS Eng. 27 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Electricityand Alternative Energies José María Salvador Romay MAS Eng. 30 November 2020 Incumbent Ministry of ProductiveDevelopment andthe Plural Economy Néstor Huanca Chura Movement forSocialism 9 November 2020
Portfolio Vice Minister Party Took office Left office Term Vice Minister of Micro and Small Business Nelson Aruquipa MAS Eng. 4 December 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Industrial Productionat Medium and Large Scale Luis Siles MAS Eng. 4 December 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Internal Trade Gróver Lacoa MAS . 4 December 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Tourism Eliana Ampuero MAS Tur. 4 December 2020 Incumbent Ministry of Public Works, Services, and Housing Edgar Montaño Movement forSocialism 9 November 2020
Portfolio Vice Minister Party Took office Left office Term Vice Minister of Transport Nino Saúl Herbas MAS – 29 January 2021 Incumbent Vice Minister of Telecommunications Edwin Édgar Arandia Rojas MAS Eng. 3 December 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Housing and Urbanism Róger Cruz Pinedo MAS – 3 December 2020 Incumbent Ministry of Miningand Metallurgy Ramiro Villavicencio Movement forSocialism 9 November 2020
Portfolio Vice Minister Party Took office Left office Term Vice Minister of Productive Developmentand Metallurgical Mining Juan José Carvajal Huanca MAS – 20 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Mining Policy,Regulation, and Inspection Wiston Medrano Escalante MAS Eng. 20 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Mining Cooperatives Mauricio Guzmán Mujica MAS – 20 November 2020 Incumbent Ministry of Justice andInstitutional Transparency Iván Lima Movement forSocialism 9 November 2020
Portfolio Vice Minister Party Took office Left office Term Vice Minister of Justice and Fundamental Rights César Adalid Siles Bazán MAS Law. 12 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Equal Opportunities Miriam Julieta Huacani Zapana MAS Soc. 12 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Indigenous Peasant Justice Silvia Alarcón Heredia MAS Law. 24 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Defense of the Rightsof the User and Consumer Jorge Silva Trujillo MAS Law. 12 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Institutional Transparencyand the Fight Against Corruption Julia Susana Ríos Laguna MAS Law. 12 November 2020 Incumbent Ministry of Labor, Employment,and Social Security Verónica Navia Tejada Movement forSocialism 9 November 2020
Portfolio Vice Minister Party Took office Left office Term Vice Minister of Labor and Social Security Víctor Quispe Ticona MAS Uni. 17 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Employment, Civil Serviceand Cooperatives Martín Bazurco MAS – 18 December 2020 30 July 2021 Gonzalo Zambrana Ávila MAS Eco. 30 July 2021 Incumbent Ministry of Healthand Sports Jeyson Auza Movement forSocialism 16 January 2021
Portfolio Vice Minister Party Took office Left office Term Vice Minister of Health Insurance and Managementof the Unified Health System Álvaro Terrazas MAS Dr. 23 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Promotion, EpidemiologicalSurveillance, and Traditional Medicine María Renee Castro MAS Bio. 23 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Health System Management Alejandra Hidalgo Ugarte MAS Dr. 23 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Sports Cielo Veizaga MAS Ftbl. 17 December 2020 Incumbent Ministry of Environmentand Water Juan Santos Cruz Movement forSocialism 9 November 2020
Portfolio Vice Minister Party Took office Left office Term Vice Minister of Drinking Water and Basic Sanitation Carmelo Valda MAS Eng. 26 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Environment, Biodiversity, Climate Change,and Forest Management and Development Magin Herrera MAS – 20 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation Wilder Quiroz Guzmán MAS – 26 November 2020 Incumbent Ministry of Education Edgar Pary Chambi Movement forSocialism 19 November 2021
Portfolio Vice Minister Party Took office Left office Term Vice Minister of Regular Education Bartolomé Puma Velázquez MAS – 24 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Higher Educationand Professional Training Aurea Balderrama Almendras MAS – 24 November 2020 1 December 2021 José Luis Gutiérrez MAS – 1 December 2021 Incumbent Vice Minister of Alternative andSpecial Education Sandra Cristina Cruz Nina MAS – 24 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Science and Technology Julio Gómez Chambilla MAS Prof. 19 January 2021 Incumbent Ministry of RuralDevelopment and Lands Remmy Gonzáles Movement forSocialism 20 April 2021
Portfolio Vice Minister Party Took office Left office Term Vice Minister of Rural and Agricultural Development Álvaro Mollinedo MAS – 17 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Coca and Integral Development Rolando Canceno Mamani MAS – 20 November 2020 17 September 2021 Juan Pablo Jove Álvarez MAS – 17 September 2021 Incumbent Vice Minister of Lands Juan José García Cruz MAS – 1 February 2021 Incumbent Ministry of CulturesDecolonization andDepatriarchalization Sabina Orellana Movement forSocialism 20 November 2020
Portfolio Vice Minister Party Took office Left office Term Vice Minister of Decolonizationand Depatriarchalization Pelagio Condori MAS – 20 November 2020 Incumbent Vice Minister of Interculturality Cergio Prudencio MAS Mus. 20 November 2020 12 March 2021 colspan=6 Juan Carlos Cordero MAS Mus. 7 July 2021 Incumbent
History According to Arce, the council of ministers accompanying him would be "an austere government with the priority of reactivating the economy and examining the health crisis". The cabinet has been noted for the low profile of its appointed members, predominantly made up of low-level officials and academics who, despite their youth, have long management experience. Political scientist Helena Argirakis affirms that "certain fundamental features that characterize the MAS" are maintained in this cabinet, while at the same time it balances "experience and innovation, the country's regional diversity and professional, political, union and social training". Analysts also highlighted the distance between the appointees and former president and MAS leader Evo Morales. Among the ministers, only Minister of Defense Edmundo Novillo had any long history within the ranks of MAS, being president of the Chamber of Deputies and governor of Cochabamba. These factors reaffirmed Arce's statement that Morales would have no direct participation in his administration.
A year into the Arce administration, calls for renewal within the cabinet among sectors related to the MAS began to arise. On 30 December 2021, Morales publicly requested that Arce "improve his cabinet". The following day, Deputy Daniel Rojas went one step further, calling some members of Arce's cabinet "parasites" and affirming that certain social organizations were discontent with their management. Meanwhile, Deputy Juanito Angulo announced that the Plurinational Legislative Assembly would evaluate the cabinet upon returning from parliamentary recess and intended to make recommendations for change based on that. Deputy Héctor Arce stated that the assembly would wait for a response by 22 or 23 January —the traditional date in which Morales ratified his ministers in each year of his administration— "and if the suggested changes are not carried out, we will take action on the matter".