Throughout his ministerial tenure, Núñez was noted as a key person of influence in the transitional government and a "right-hand" to President Jeanine Áñez, a fellow Beni native.

Núñez's family was one of the most influential clans in Rurrenabaque; both his father and grandfather previously served as mayor of the city, owing to their alignment with the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR).

Núñez himself continued this legacy: from age 25, he participated in various political training courses abroad in locales such as Colombia, Peru, Germany, and the United States.

His administration was characterized by generally transparent economic management and the implementation of policies promoting public participation in the planning and execution of citywide projects.

After three years in office, Núñez resigned as mayor to serve as national director of the Secretariat of Popular Participation, a government body responsible for aiding and regulating municipal development.

While the previous year's significant social conflicts largely discredited the MNR as a national force, the party maintained a modicum of support in the eastern lowlands.

In late 2012, Beni First presented Núñez and Carmelo Lenz [es] as possible contenders to face Jessica Jordan for the departmental governorship in a special gubernatorial election.

For Núñez, who aligned himself politically with the MDS, the UD alliance "finished its cycle in 2015", the year in which each member party presented its own candidates for the subnational elections.

[27] During his short time in office, Núñez set about initiating audits of ongoing works, investigating acts of corruption, and executing pending projects.

In his new position, Núñez quickly came to be noted as one of the more influential figures within the transitional government and a "right-hand" to Áñez, whom herself stated upon his inauguration that she held "full trust" in him.

Núñez's claim that such occurrences were "mere coincidence" drew the ire of competing campaigns, with one opposing vice-presidential candidate accusing the minister of "underestimat[ing] the intelligence of Bolivians".

[40] Nearing the election date, Áñez opted to withdraw her candidacy to prevent the return to power of Morales' party, the Movement for Socialism (MAS-IPSP).

[41] Following the victory of Luis Arce in the presidential election, Núñez announced the establishment of a government commission to facilitate the transmission of power between the incoming and outgoing administrations.

[45][46] At around 2:00 p.m., police raided the home of Núñez's mother, a move denounced as "abusive" by his nephew, Gary Tudela, who alleged that no search warrant was presented.

[47] Attempts to locate Núñez led government officials to Trinidad, where his 21-year-old son, Antonio, was arrested on suspicion that he knew his father's whereabouts.