President Paz urges business and political leaders to help “save the homeland”

Bolivia’s President Rodrigo Paz called on business leaders, governors, mayors, politicians and social groups to back his government’s reforms, saying the country cannot afford to fail at a time of economic strain.

“ This generation cannot fail Bolivia,” Paz said while closing Cainco’s 2026 Economic Forum, titled “Rebuild without rehearsing,” in Santa Cruz. He urged different sectors to support the process rather than simply understand it. “Knowing or understanding what we are talking about is one thing; supporting it is another, and this is the moment to support it,” he said.

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This generation cannot fail Bolivia.

The appeal came as Bolivia faces a shortage of dollars, difficulties supplying fuel, inflation and problems affecting production and investment. Those pressures shaped the business forum, which brought together public officials, business representatives and international experts to discuss a response to the crisis.

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Knowing or understanding what we are talking about is one thing; supporting it is another, and this is the moment to support it.

Paz defended measures designed to reduce the fiscal deficit. He said the government aims to bring it down gradually from nearly 16% to 9%. He also highlighted cuts to capital contributions for state-owned companies and said the Central Bank of Bolivia had not extended credit to the General Treasury during the year.

The president linked the fiscal adjustment to efforts to restore investor confidence. He said the reforms could bring between $5 billion and $7 billion into Bolivia for public works, projects and development. “What we need now is for investment to return to Bolivia. You have clear signals on the table. The direction has not changed, the objective is the same and so is the commitment,” he said.

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What we need now is for investment to return to Bolivia. You have clear signals on the table. The direction has not changed, the objective is the same and so is the commitment.

Paz also defended the reduction in fuel subsidies, calling the system unsustainable and saying some of the money spent maintaining it ultimately benefits smuggling. “Every liter that crosses the border is a school that is not built, a hospital that is not equipped, a road that is not made,” he said. He framed the choice as “subsidy or future” and argued that the state must free resources for other priorities.

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Every liter that crosses the border is a school that is not built, a hospital that is not equipped, a road that is not made.