Bolivia’s President Rodrigo Paz fires economy minister amid unrest

Jose Gabriel Espinoza removed from post days after he was censured by the legislature amid tumult over economic reform.Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz has removed Economic Minister Jose Gabriel Espinoza from his post after the minister was censured by the country’s Congress.The cabinet shake-up is likely to be perceived as a concession by Paz, who has faced public anger about the country’s ongoing cost-of-living crisis.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Bolivian authorities say no active blockades after state of emergency decreelist 2 of 3Evo Morales defiant after new Bolivia arrest warrantlist 3 of 3Bolivia arrests political adviser to Latin American right-wingersend of listThe announcement came in a decree published on Friday in the government’s official gazette.It names Oscar Mario Justiniano Pinto as interim economy minister and explains he will serve in the role until a permanent candidate is appointed. The decree does not, however, offer a prospective timeline for the eventual replacement.The decision to fire Espinoza, however, marks a reversal for the Paz government.On Tuesday, the Bolivian Congress voted to censure Espinoza, after he failed to appear before the legislature to answer questions about the economy. Under the country’s constitution, a censure tees up a subsequent dismissal.The right-wing Paz administration initially said it would fight that decision as a tribunal reviewed the dispute. But Friday’s decree suggests the president changed course.Bolivia has been roiled by economic and political turmoil for years. Paz, a senator at the time, was elected last October after pledging to bring stability back to the South American nation.His inauguration the following month marked an end to nearly two decades of governance by the Movement Toward Socialism (MAS). Paz, by contrast, ran on a campaign of “capitalism for all”.His victory was fuelled by concerns about Bolivia’s economic conditions. Once a major exporter of fuel, the country had seen a decline in its natural gas production, with mismanagement, depleted reserves and a lack of new exploration cited among the reasons.