Fernando Cajías

Fernando Julio Cajías de la Vega (born 28 February 1949) is a Bolivian academic, historian, and politician. A member of the academically influential Cajías family, Cajías composed part of the first generation of professional historians that began operating in Bolivia in the second half of the twentieth century. A graduate and tenured professor at the Higher University of San Andrés, he taught art and cultural history and worked as a doctoral advisor, in addition to serving as the university's secretary general from 1978 to 1980 and as its dean of humanities from 1997 to 2003. His archival work led him to serve as director of the National Institute of History and Literature and later executive director of its parent body, the Bolivian Institute of Culture.

Initially sympathetic towards conservative values, Cajías realigned towards left-wing ideology during the country's democratic transition. He joined the Revolutionary Left Movement in 1977, with which he was elected to represent La Paz in the Chamber of Deputies from 1985 to 1989 before being appointed prefect of La Paz from 1989 to 1992. After a brief stint as ambassador to Spain from 1992 to 1993, Cajías returned to Bolivia, where he was elected to the La Paz Municipal Council. Estranged from the Revolutionary Left Movement over his agitation for internal renewal, Cajías sought to be reelected with a different front in 1995 but failed to retain his seat.

Though retired from politics from that point on, Cajías continued to hold minor public posts throughout the 2000s. He served as vice minister of cultures from 2004 to 2005 and headed the research team at the Strategic Directorate of the Maritime Claim during the country's lawsuit against Chile. An unsuccessful candidate for vice rector and rector in 2004 and 2021, respectively, Cajías continues to work as a professor and researcher at the Higher University of San Andrés.

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