The government of Bolivia passed a decree authorizing the president Rodrigo Paz Exercising power through “technological means” when he is outside the country. The rule also redefines the role of the vice president, who must direct and help implement the executive branch’s overall policies.
The measure contained in Decree 5512 comes after the invitation to Paz to participate World Economic Forum (WEF) in Switzerland, between January 19th and 23rdand in a context of tensions with the vice president Edmand Larawho described himself as a “constructive opposition” to the government.
According to the official document, the president must exercise his constitutional powers “through technical means of communication” during his temporary absence from the national territory. If you do not have access to these tools, you must inform the Vice President in writing and with specific dates of the actions to be taken during the period of your representation.
The decree also stipulates that the role of Vice President “Manage and participate in activities within the framework of the general policy direction of the governmentIt also adjusts a previous rule from 2023 that did not specify how the president should carry out his duties during a temporary absence and that allowed the vice president to “plan, manage, support, and carry out actions in government.”
Rodrigo Pazwho took over the presidency of Bolivia on November 8th would carry out this his first international trip as an agent after receiving the invitation World Economic Forum (WEF)which would mean a temporary delegation of command to the vice president, Edmand Larawho would remain acting president during his absence.
The relationship between Paz and Lara has been strained since his victory in the second round of elections in October 2025. Lara is already in government and – very active on TikTok – has publicly questioned Paz’s decisions, such as the creation of the Vice Ministry for Legislative Coordination and the abolition of the Justice Ministry.
In November, in one of the most critical moments, Lara declared via TikTok that she was “no longer part” of the government and called Paz a “liar.”
Lara remained critical of the president’s decisions Rodrigo PazHe directed his questions to ministers, parliamentarians and other government officials. Tensions worsened after the promulgation of Supreme Decree 5503 on December 17, which ended fuel subsidies after more than two decades. The measure, accompanied by increases in student premiums, senior citizens and the minimum wage, sparked a broad social debate.
Before Christmas, Lara expressed that after being sidelined by Paz, he had decided to “fight government corruption and denounce any official who crosses the line from good to the line from evil.” In another video, he called Paz “corrupt” and “skillful at deception” and criticized ministers for “inciting social upheaval” by abolishing fuel subsidies, referring to them in a derogatory manner.
This week Lara accused the Deputy Minister of Social Defense and Controlled Substances of Ernst Justinianallegedly receiving money from drug trafficking after Justiniano pointed out that he had been pressuring him to get police positions, sparking a controversy that is still ongoing.
For his part, Paz has indicated that his job is to make decisions and not to make videos on TikTok, while his ministers announced that they will respond institutionally to the questions of the second in the executive branch.
(With information from EFE)
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