Founded on 16 July 1968 as Club Gualberto Villarroel as an honour to Bolivia's 39th president
Gualberto Villarroel, the club first reached the Primera A of the
Oruro Football Association in 2015.[1] In 2021, the club did not participate in any tournament due to financial problems.[2]
In January 2022, following the relegation of
San José, the club was sold to José Sánchez Aguilar,[1] and started a new project under the name of Gualberto Villarroel San José. Despite incorporating the name of the traditional club, it was not a merger between both sides.[3]
After adopting the colours, uniform and symbol similar to the original San José, the club announced
José Peña as manager and Paulo Folster as president in February 2022.[4] They played their first match after the change in April 2022, with several supporters from San José protesting on the stands.[5]
After missing out a place in the
Copa Simón Bolívar in 2022, the club qualified to the tournament in the 2023 season. In that competition, they reached the finals, facing
San Antonio Bulo Bulo[6] and winning the title on penalties.[7]