The Public Affairs Section (PAS) strives to enhance mutual understanding among the people of the United States and Bolivia. The Public Affairs Officer (PAO) heads the section and is assisted by the Cultural Affairs Officer (CAO), Information Officer (IO), Public Diplomacy Officer (PDO), and a team of locally employed staff. The section consists of the following three offices:
Press Office
Under the direction of the Information Officer (IO), the Press Office interacts with local and foreign media informing them of U.S. Government policies and explaining bilateral issues. The Press Office provides a variety of services including distribution of press releases and policy papers/speeches, organization of press conferences, coordination of ambassadorial interviews, production of radio programs, among other activities. On the occasion of visits by high level U.S. officials, the Press Office organizes press conferences and interviews and provides support for international press accompanying official delegations.
Contact: LaPazPASIO@state.gov or (591) 2 216 8122
Cultural Affairs Office
Under the direction of the Cultural Affairs Officer (CAO), the Cultural Affairs Office is responsible for promoting cultural and educational ties between the United States and Bolivia. The office works closely with numerous Bolivian academic and cultural institutions to organize lectures, exhibits, performances, videoconferences, and a variety of other activities. Specific programs managed by this office include the Fulbright and Humphrey Scholarship Programs, the International Visitor Leadership Program, the Voluntary Visitor Program, the Access English Microscholarship Program, the Martin Luther King/College Horizons Scholarship Program, the Youth Ambassadors Program, Study of the U.S. Institutes, the Mission Speakers Program, the book donation program “U.S. and Bolivia – United in Reading.” and the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation.
Under the framework of a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the U.S. and Bolivian governments in 2001 and renewed most recently in 2016, the Cultural Affairs Office works closely with the Bolivian government in the area of cultural heritage protection and preservation.
The Cultural Affairs Office also works in close collaboration with the four independent bi-national centers in Bolivia to encourage and strengthen English language learning in Bolivia.
Contact: LaPazFulbright@state.gov or (591) 2 216 8422