WPS Breaking Barriers Podcast

Episode 6: Bolivia

English Transcripts

[Lt. Col. Turner] 1:09- 2:34— Welcome to the Breaking Barriers Podcast. It is a pleasure

to have you all with us for this new episode which, for the first time, is being released in 

Spanish. Today we have the privilege of having General Gina Reque Teran as our 

guest. General Reque Teran joined the Bolivian army at the age of 17 and was one of

the first women to attend the military college of Bolivia. Throughout her exemplary 

career, she has had many achievements, including service as a military policeman, 

commander of infantry sections, companies, and regimens, chief of operations of the 

armed forces, chief of state of the Bolivian armed forces, and specializations such as 

courses in special forces, skydiving, and free diving. Beyond this, General Reque Teran 

is the first female general in the Bolivian army, and the first female general in all of 

South America to command combat troops. She has served for over 35 years, and now 

remains in passive service. Without a doubt, General Reque Teran is an inspiring 

woman who has broken many barriers. Welcome, General Reque Teran!

[Gen. Reque Teran] 2:34- 2:51— A big thank you to you and to the Ambassador for 

keeping me in mind for this, and I hope that this podcast serves as an inspiration for 

other women to break barriers. 

[Lt. Col. Turner] 2:51- 3:09— Thank you so much General. For us it’s an honor to have 

you, and without a doubt we’ll make that happen. To start off, can you tell us a little bit 

about your experiences as a military official at a high, strategic level in Bolivia?

[Gen. Reque Teran] 3:09- 5:37— Yes, of course. Many experiences. Well, when women 

first enrolled in the Bolivian army, we had some restrictions when it came to assuming 

certain functions. However, overtime I was able to prove to my superiors my ability to 

command troops. With the troops having few women, I was typically in the military units 

alone as an official. However, I have been fulfilling the requirements of this role of 

conducting troops and soldiers at different levels and ranks, like you mentioned, and I

completed several courses such as skydiving, which was one of the most beautiful 

ones. And when I did free falling—oh, to jump in the air is a beautiful sensation. I was 

also able to take a course in special forces with four other women and, of course, many 

men—these experiences allowed us to broaden the views of our superiors in order to 

continue moving forward. Being in that situation can be seen as something normal now, 

but in those years (1979-1980), many didn’t believe that women should have been able 

to do that. Those experiences allowed me to rise in rank and to take on new functions, 

including the highest, which is the stature of being a major in the armed forces [5:00]. 

One of the most amazing experiences was having the opportunity to be part of the 

planning, execution of operations, and support that is so important when dealing with
 

visits from major figures, such as Pope Francis. I was involved in coordinating that

operation with the police force and protocol personnel, and it was an enriching 

experience.

[Lt. Col. Turner] 5:37- 6:23 – Thank you so much, General. You truly did a great job at 

highlighting the fact that women have the mental and physical fortitude to fulfill the 

demands of their military careers. Also, you’ve had the experience of coordinating and 

organizing visits for dignitaries who require a certain level of military precision and 

where errors are not acceptable, and it’s very inspiring for all of us women. Thank you 

so much for your service to your nation. What do you think have been your biggest 

contributions to the progress and integration of women in the armed forces?

[Gen. Reque Teran] 6:23- 7:05 – They say that you have to lead by example so that 

others who are interested are able to follow. I think that, in part, my contribution is 

having served as an example that there is no disadvantage to women being able to 

serve our functions at the highest levels. I feel my biggest contribution has been the 

planning of a career track in which I have integrated without a distinction between men 

and women, so that other women can have better opportunities in establishing their 

careers. 

[Lt. Col. Turner] 7:05- 7:47 – Absolutely. For us here in the United States, it is also very 

important to institutionalize the presence of women in the armed forces. Many times, we 

see a lot of rhetoric about the integration of women, but, without actually planning and 

coordinating effort that truly is on paper, in doctrine, and in military policy, it is difficult. 

So then, by your achievements, I am sure that you have broken many barriers. In your 

opinion, what do you feel are the greatest benefits of having women integrated at all 

levels of the defense and security forces?

[Gen. Reque Teran] 7:47- 7:59 – I believe that it offers a different point of view that 

complements the actions of men, and it ensures an atmosphere that is more diverse at 

all levels. 

[Lt. Col. Turner] 7:59- 8:10 – Yes, of course. It’s not about a competition, it’s about 

complementing each other in a way that improves the efficacy of the military—right?

[Gen. Reque Teran] 8:10- 8:12— Yes, exactly. 

[Lt. Col. Turner] 8:12- 8:53—Well I don’t have any doubt based on what you’ve talked 

about so far that you’ve had a strong influence on the integration of women in the armed 

forces in Bolivia. On a personal note, I thank you for that. From what I understand, 

presently there are no restrictions in terms of the integration of women in the armed 
 

forces of Bolivia, in the same way that in the United States there are no restrictions for 

any type of function. How have you many these advances in the integration of women? 

It’s not something that you see everywhere throughout our region, and it’s something 

that I believe truly sets us apart, that the integration is ample. How have you achieved 

this in Bolivia?

[Gen. Reque Teran] 8:53- 9:47—Initially, we women have had to demonstrate that we 

can develop within the functions and activities that we were assigned. Parallel to this, 

we’ve had the support of our superiors to be able to develop the policy, the plans, and 

the projects that allow and ensure that women who join the armed forces are able to do 

so without restrictions. Now, there will always be issues because we don’t all have the 

same viewpoints. However, we have it written as policy. Because of this, we have been 

able to have women integrate into the armed forces without restrictions. 

[Lt. Col. Turner] 9:47- 11:08 – Yes, of course. Even if we have it written as policy, as 

women it is our responsibility to remain a part of everything and to demonstrate that we 

are capable. And this is where we always need to support one another, so that we can 

lift each other and hold ourselves to the highest standards. Gen. Reque Teran

understands very well that when we are on military missions related to protection and 

defense, we need to have the best talent, whether that is men or women. This is 

independent of being a man or a woman—professionalism does not have gender. So,

it’s important that we do this in all parts of our society and bring on the people who are 

the most competent. When someone says that women don’t have space here, then 

what they’re doing is limiting ourselves. I believe that it’s a really great thing that in 

Bolivia they have recognized that the role of women is very important, and now it’s up to 

us to perform very well. I see that there are many positive factors, but we military 

women know that we have to be realistic. We have to be very realistic. What is there still 

left to do? What are the next steps?

[Gen. Reque Teran] 11:08- 11:34—We are always going to run into problems along the 

way. At this moment, the next steps would be to secure equity in opportunities by 

improving existing regulations or developing new specific regulations in the forces, and 

in turn improving different offices within the armed forces. 

[Lt. Col. Turner] 11:34- 12:13— Yes, having these regulations is very important. And 

also, in terms of resources, even with the simplest things. For example, uniforms—

having uniforms that are designed for women, that offer them an opportunity to succeed 

and feel protected since all military personnel (men and women) are exposing 

themselves to danger. Ensuring we have all these policies and resources is extremely 

important, and these are steps I see many of our countries are still yet to take. 
 

[Gen. Reque Teran] 12:13- 12:19—Yes, you’re absolutely right—in addition to having 

regulations, we need resources. 

[Lt. Col. Turner] 12:19- 13:21—And what we see is that, as we change our mentality

from the integration of women being something that we don’t talk about, to something 

that we only really think about, to something that is a priority, the resources somehow 

become available. There are always resources available for set priorities in some way. 

Even if it costs resources, in the long-term, prioritizing and valuing women is an 

investment for your people and society in security and defense. With all of your 

experience, with so many years of service to your nation, what has been one of your 

greatest sources of pride in serving your country? Do you have any personal stories that 

you’d like to share with us?

[Gen. Reque Teran] 13:21- 14:29—In reality, every moment in my career has been the 

greatest, because, little by little, I’ve achieved the goals that I’d given myself. However, I 

can also tell you that the one that makes me most proud is commanding an infantry unit 

for two years. That has been one of my proudest moments. In the experiences I had 

within those years of commanding that unit, my soldiers were there to fulfill their 

mandatory military service. Then they got their certification to return to civil duty, and in 

one of the final certifications during my time commanding I had the surprise of having 

my soldiers who were about to leave give me a plaque recognizing my service. It was 

so emotional that even today I become emotional thinking about it. 

[Lt. Col. Turner] 14:29- 15:02—Yes, because your troops recognized the value of your 

leadership that truly must have had an impact on them. Considering your experience 

commanding troops, knowing that these soldiers valued you so much not only as a 

woman but as a military leader, Bolivian, woman, and soldier, how would you define 

your leadership style? 

[Gen. Reque Teran] 15:02- 15:25—There are so many leadership styles that I don’t 

know if I can define one so specifically. I believe that leadership needs to match the 

mission and situation that you’re in. So, I believe that my leadership is more eclectic in 

an attempt to match the group of people that I’m working with, the situation that we are 

in, and the mission that we need to accomplish. 

[Lt. Col. Turner] 15:25- 15:52 – Yes, of course. Absolutely. So then, for example, with 

what you mentioned about that operation when you were coordinating the security for 

Pope Francis—in that moment, how would you define your leadership style? I imagine 

that it’s different from when you’re with the troops. Tell us more about this more eclectic 

style—what are some of the limits and characteristics of this leadership style?

[Gen. Reque Teran] 15:52- 16:45—Well, you have to know how to define the leadership 

style that you’re going to use in different situations. There will be different styles 
 

required in different moments—not just one. In the moment when we were planning the 

visit from the Pope, it was a moment of participative leadership. Because not only was it 

our military troops, but it was also the police force and the Pope’s security team, along 

with aspects of protocol that had to be followed from different groups, including the 

Church. This meant that my leadership needed to be much more participative and 

integrated with different people, in order to create and execute this mission in the best 

way possible. 

[Lt. Col. Turner] 16:45- 17:35—Truthfully, in this talk I’ve learned so much about this 

idea of an eclectic leadership style since it’s something that I haven’t explored very 

much. Based on what I’m hearing, that style is based on empathy and decision-making. 

Thank you for sharing that. I’ll have to reflect and think about it a bit more. Maybe I’ll 

give you a call to explore even a little more on it to have a deeper understanding of what 

it means. It’s truly so interesting and has made me think. You are a pioneer in all senses

in the trajectory of your career, which has been incomparable for not only many of us 

women but also for men. What advice would you offer to new generations, particularly 

women who would like to join the armed forces or security forces?

[Gen. Reque Teran] 17:35- 18:02—First, I would tell them to do it and that there is no 

impediment. With decisiveness, confidence, and strength, they will meet their goals. 

Obviously, I would also tell them that nothing in life comes easy, and neither does being 

in the armed forces. But when someone has the confidence in themselves along with 

the strength and the conviction to achieve it, then that’s it. They should do it. 

[Lt. Col. Turner] 18:02- 19:05—So then, to young Bolivian women, the advice is, “Yes, 

join the armed forces and serve your country with honor and dignity.” And I think that 

this is advice that all women in uniform offer to young women, because we know that

our service is greater than us. It’s sharing with your family, with your neighbors, with our 

society, with our communities, and with our country. It’s a beautiful type of labor, and 

one that is so needed in all of our nations. Okay, we are nearing the end of our time 

together for this episode, and we have one final question that we ask all of our guests: 

In thinking of a gender perspective in the defense and security forces, how do you think 

each individual—both men and women—can participate in “making the invisible, 

visible”?

[Gen. Reque Teran] 19:05- 19:44—This makes me think a lot because the answer lies 

in the question itself of how to “make the invisible, visible.” Some will do it by 

demonstrating their capability, value, and excellence in what they do. Others will break 

barriers in opening up the closed structures that still exist within society. But all of us 

can participate by standing out in our roles and highlighting the positive. Even in the 

negative, we can find something positive. This way we can improve the perspectives 

from different generations within the security and defense forces. 
 

[Lt. Col. Turner] 19:44- 20:06—For all of our listeners, what a privilege to have General 

Reque Teran with us today as a pioneer in defense and security. General Reque Teran 

thank you so much for sharing your experiences with us, for representing Bolivia, and 

for representing all of us military women. For me, it has been a great honor to speak 

with you. 

[Gen. Reque Teran] 20:06- 20:21—Thank you so much. The honor has been mine to be 

able to share part of my experience in the roles that I’ve played throughout my 

professional career. Thank you so much for this interview.