The United States changed its top official in charge of its diplomatic representation in Bolivia, with the designation of Amanda Porter as the new chargé d'affaires, at a time of rapprochement between Washington and the government of President Rodrigo Paz.
Porter, who until now had served as minister counselor at the US Embassy in La Paz, took office on September 26, replacing Erik Martini, who had arrived at the head of the mission in June. The Embassy reported that the new chargé d'affaires will continue working on strengthening the economy, fighting corruption, and responding to transnational threats.
The change came after Martini's brief tenure, as he had replaced Debra Hevia following nearly three years at the head of the mission. Hevia left Bolivia in June and returned to Washington, after which Martini immediately assumed leadership of the legation.
The change of representatives occurs as Bolivia and the United States advance in the rebuilding of a diplomatic relationship that has been deteriorated since 2008, when the government of Evo Morales expelled the US ambassador Philip Goldberg. In November 2025, after Paz's election, the then president-elect met in Washington with Under Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who later traveled to Bolivia to attend his inauguration. At that time, both announced their intention to restore relations to the level of …
AI Brief
Your highlights
Amanda Porter assumed the post of chargé d'affaires at the United States Embassy in Bolivia. (Illustrative image Infobae)
The United States changed the main person responsible for its diplomatic representation in Bolivia, with the appointment of Amanda Porter as the new chargé d'affaires, at a time of rapprochement between Washington and the government of President Rodrigo Paz.
Porter, who until now had been serving as minister-counselor at the US Embassy in La Paz, took office on September 26, replacing Erik Martini, who had arrived at the head of the mission in June. The Embassy reported that the new chargé will continue working on strengthening the economy, fighting corruption, and responding to transnational threats.
The change came after a brief tenure by Martini, who had replaced Debra Hevia after nearly three years at the head of the mission. Hevia left Bolivia in June and returned to Washington, after which Martini immediately assumed leadership of the legation.
The change of representatives occurs as Bolivia and the United States advance in the rebuilding of a diplomatic relationship that has deteriorated since 2008, when the government of Evo Morales expelled the US ambassador Philip Goldberg.
In November 2025, after Paz's election, the then president-elect met in Washington with Undersecretary of State Christopher Landau, who later traveled to Bolivia to attend his inauguration. Both then announced their intention to restore relations to the ambassadorial level.
The newly sworn-in Rodrigo Paz greets Christopher Landau in La Paz, Bolivia. November 8, 2026. REUTERS/Claudia Morales
The exchange of ambassadors, however, has not yet taken place. In the meantime, the leadership of the US mission has remained in the hands of chargés d'affaires.
The rapprochement has deepened progressively during Paz's government. The president held meetings with President Donald Trump, within the framework of the Shield of the Americas alliance to strengthen regional cooperation against drug trafficking and organized crime, and with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Cooperation on security and the fight against drug trafficking has taken on a prominent place in this new bilateral phase. On September 28, the US government issued a list of 13 officials and former officials whose visas were revoked for alleged links to illicit activities, among them Attorney General Roger Mariaca.
President Donald Trump alongside his allies of the Shield of the Americas. In the second row, on the left, Rodrigo Paz can be seen. March 2026. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Two days after that announcement, the Paz government arrested Mariaca and two other prosecutors included on the US list, whom it accuses of being part of "a criminal organization dedicated to protecting, incentivizing, and protecting narcoterrorism in the country."
Added to these recent events are the coordination with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the expulsion of drug trafficker Sebastián Marset to the United States after his capture in Bolivia on March 13.
Porter arrives in the position with more than two decades of experience in the US Foreign Service. Before Bolivia, she was deputy chief of mission in Cabo Verde and held political, economic, and consular positions at the US embassies in Uruguay, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Colombia, and Portugal.