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57-506: The Revolutionary Nationalist Movement was begun in 1941 by future presidents Víctor Paz Estenssoro and Hernán Siles Zuazo . It soon attracted some of the brightest members of the Bolivian intelligentsia. Among the party's most prominent supporters were Humberto Guzmán Fricke , Juan Lechín , Carlos Montenegro , Walter Guevara Arze , Javier del Granado , Augusto Céspedes , Lydia Gueiler , Guillermo Bedregal , and Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada ,

114-420: A boat. He returned in 1982, when the military's experiment had run its course and the Bolivian economy was on the verge of collapse. With its reputation badly damaged by the excesses of the 1980–82 dictatorship, the military faced two options—call new elections, or accept the 1980 results. By this time, however, it was obvious that the country would crumble into civil war before new elections could be held. Under

171-497: A company owned by Colonel Luis Arce in what was undoubtedly an assassination attempt. The results once again favored Hernán Siles Zuazo and the UDP. However, contrary to the 0.1% difference between Siles Zuazo and Paz Estenssoro in the 1979 election, this time the former won by 18.5 points. This was likely on account of the splintering of the MNR and the sullied image of Paz Estenssoro following

228-569: A fracturing of the MNR-A. Wálter Guevara, whose interim presidency had been cut short by the coup, withdrew the support of his Authentic Revolutionary Party (PRA) as did the Christian Democratic Party (PDC). Further, left-wing members of the MNR split from the party and formed the Alliance of Nationalist Left Forces of the MNR (AFIN-MNR) followed shortly thereafter by right-wing members of

285-622: A hunger strike as a desperate way to gain public sympathy. Finally, he agreed to shorten his own term and Congress moved the presidential election forward by a year. One bright point in the Siles administration was the 1983 extradition to France of the Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie , known as the Butcher of Lyon. He had been living in Bolivia since the late 1950s or early 1960s, after being smuggled out of Europe with

342-874: A number of whom later became presidents of Bolivia. At the time of its establishment it was a leftist/reformist party, along the lines of similar Latin American parties such as the Brazilian Labour Party , the Socialist Party of Chile , the National Liberation Party in Costa Rica , Dominican Revolutionary Party , the Guatemalan Revolutionary Action Party , the Mexican Institutional Revolutionary Party ,

399-530: A sizeable sector of the Bolivian population cemented him and his party, the Nationalist Democratic Action (ADN), as a major faction in Bolivian politics. The 1980 campaign also saw the rise of Marcelo Quiroga Santa Cruz of the Socialist Party-1 (PS-1). Previously a minor candidate in 1978 and 1979, Quiroga gained notability as a deputy in the 1979 legislature for placing Banzer on trial for

456-594: A useful counterbalance to the possibility of a conservative or military coup against the Revolution, but were by now serving the growing ambitions of the head of the Bolivian Workers' Center (COB) Juan Lechín . Meanwhile, the Falange Socialista Boliviana party schemed to topple the MNR from power, causing a rather disproportionate repressive backlash that diminished MNR's (and Siles') popularity. After

513-472: A year or two before calling elections that the MNR would almost certainly win. If so, he badly miscalculated; Banzer exiled Paz in 1975. The main body supported Paz in exile, while a faction continued to back Banzer. Paz' support of the Banzer dictatorship was a move that was to cost his party dearly at the polls in subsequent years. While Paz seemed to be moving steadily to the right, Siles Zuazo broke off to found

570-449: Is led by Luis Eduardo Siles . Hern%C3%A1n Siles Zuazo Hernán Siles Zuazo (21 March 1914 – 6 August 1996) was a Bolivian politician who served as the 46th president of Bolivia twice nonconsecutively from 1956 to 1960 and from 1982 to 1985. He also briefly served as interim president in April 1952, and as the 27th vice president of Bolivia from 1952 to 1956. Hernán Siles

627-410: The 1978 , 1979 , and 1980 general elections, mostly as a result of a serious erosion of support for Estenssoro. The 1978 election was annulled due to massive fraud in favor of the official military candidate, General Juan Pereda , though exit polls showed Siles would have won handily had the election been conducted honestly. The 1979 contest remained inconclusive because no candidate received 50% of

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684-583: The American Popular Revolutionary Alliance in Peru , Democratic Action in Venezuela . The MNR first came to power in 1943, as supporters of the reformist military regime of Gualberto Villarroel . The Revolutionary Nationalist Movement led the leftist Bolivian National Revolution of 1952 and ruled the country until 1964 when it was overthrown by the military coup of René Barrientos . During

741-631: The Revolutionary Nationalist Leftwing Movement (MNRI) and Lechín the Revolutionary Party of the Nationalist Left (PRIN). Falling from power only deepened the intra-party squabbles. With the main body of the MNR firmly behind Paz Estenssoro, the old leader made what can be seen as a major mistake in 1971, when he supported the coup d'état of Hugo Banzer Suárez . He apparently believed that Banzer would only rule for

798-618: The 8 MIR leaders who were tortured and executed during the Harrington Street Massacre of 15 January 1981. The brutal excesses of the García Meza dictatorship would only last a year. Pressure by the United States coupled with internal struggles between separate military factions ultimately resulted in the army forcing García Meza to resign on 4 August 1981. He was succeeded by a military triumvirate which on 4 September appointed

855-421: The Bolivian congress at his assigned bench demanding his back pay--this public relations coup cements his image as a leader of the resistance against a tyrannical government. In the 1951 elections Paz Estenssoro run for presidency with Siles as his vice-presidential running mate, and won the contest with 42.9% of the vote. However, the ultra-conservative government of Mamerto Urriolagoitía refused to recognize

912-485: The Bolivian legislature, which he wins. However, he is soon arrested for continuing agitation against the government in power and sent to the island prison of Isla de la Luna (Coati) on lake Titicaca . In September 1949, he escapes from the island prison together with a number of fellow political prisoners and, with Bolivian police in hot pursuit, is able to reach Peru, where he is granted political asylum. In October 9, 1949, he returns clandestinely to Bolivia and appears in

969-541: The Bolivian military began to indicate that it would not stand for the installation of the "extremist" Siles Zuazo and Paz Zamora. On 2 June 1980, just 27 days before the scheduled election date, a plane carrying six UDP politicians including Hernán Siles Zuazo's running mate, Jaime Paz Zamora , crashed over the Altiplano . Two crew men and five UDP politicians died with the only survivor being Paz Zamora who suffered permanent burn scarring on his face. The plane had belonged to

1026-534: The García Meza regime quickly implemented oppressive measures. On the day of the coup, Marcelo Quiroga Santa Cruz of the PS-1 was arrested by the military during an assault on the Bolivian Workers' Center . Santa Cruz was subsequently shot dead. The election results were annulled and major political leaders went into exile, including Siles Zuazo who crossed Lake Titicaca and fled to Peru . Those who could not escape either went into hiding or were arrested or executed such as

1083-480: The MIR's Jaime Paz as his vice-president. In 1983, Siles Zuazo reopened relations with Cuba after the relationship ended twenty years previous. Cuban doctors began reorganizing the Bolivian health system. On 30 June 1984 he was abducted from his home and held for ten hours during a failed military coup. 60 members of the army and police force sought to bring about a coup. According to the Bolivian government, members of

1140-407: The MNR in the center of the Bolivian political spectrum. Siles and Paz split in the 1960s over Paz's ambitions and personal control of the party. Filled with many strong personalities, the party had in fact begun to fragment along political and personal lines since the late 1950s, with Wálter Guevara being the first to leave and the popular Juan Lechín being expelled in 1964. Siles went on to form

1197-529: The MNR leader Paz Estenssoro was at the time in exile in Argentina. Having defeated the military and toppled the Ballivián government, Siles served as provisional president from 11 April 1952 until 16 April 1952, when Estenssoro returned from exile. The 1951 electoral results were upheld, and Paz Estenssoro became constitutional president of Bolivia with Siles as his vice-president. During the MNR's first 4 years in

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1254-659: The MNR who formed the United Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNRU). The PRA and AFIN-MNR ran their own campaigns with the PRA presenting Wálter Guevara and Flavio Machicado Saravia and AFIN-MNR presenting Roberto Jordán Pando and Edmundo Roca. The MNRU joined in alliance with another MNR splinter group, the left-wing Movement of the National Left (MIN), and presented as their candidate Guillermo Bedregal with his running mate Miguel Trigo. In Spring 1980,

1311-496: The MNR won the 1993 elections and Sanchez was confirmed as president by parliament. He continued the policies of the NEP. The party placed second in 1997 elections , with the presidential candidate Juan Carlos Durán (at the time, the Bolivian constitution prohibited direct re-election of a sitting president) losing to the former dictator Banzer. At the legislative elections 2002 MNR in alliance with Free Bolivia Movement , won 26.9% of

1368-577: The National Congress revalidated the 1980 election results on 23 September and overwhelmingly elected Hernán Siles Zuazo as president on 5 October. He subsequently assumed the presidency on 10 October 1982. The 1978 elections were the first since 1966 , with several military coups taking place during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Although Juan Pereda of the Nationalist Union of the People won

1425-614: The Natusch coup. Despite the UDP victory on the presidential level, the new composition of the National Congress did not indicate a clear majority for any party. The only two absolute majorities in departments corresponded to the UDP in La Paz , and the MNR in Pando . The results foreshadowed a trend in subsequent elections in which left parties generally received a higher vote share in the western departments while more conservative parties were victorious in

1482-748: The PDC joined the Alliance of the National Left (ADIN), Socialist Party-Guillermo Aponte (PS-Aponte), Revolutionary Workers Party Trotskyist-Posadist (POR-TP), and Offensive of the Democratic Left (OID), in forming the Democratic Revolutionary Front–New Alternative (FDR-NA). The coalition presented Luis Adolfo Siles Salinas , former president and half-brother of Hernán Siles Zuazo, as their candidate with Benjamin Miguel Harb as his running mate. Continued support for Hugo Banzer by

1539-533: The Republic on 6 August 1956. The first Siles' administration was more contentious and difficult than revolutionary Estenssoro's had been. During this time MNR began to fragment along personal lines and due to growing disagreements over policy. The economy was in deep trouble, as food and mineral production had plummeted; consequently, inflation soared, and the United States conditioned any further aid and support on

1596-428: The adoption of an economic program of its own prescription (the so-called Eder plan ) in late 1956. Siles accepted these conditions, receiving North American aid in return for cutting government expenses and social programs. Siles also had to tackle the difficult issue of disarming the worker and miner militia members who had fought in the 1952 Revolution and who had been allowed to keep their weapons. They had served as

1653-411: The assistance of the United States, and was often employed by the 1964–82 dictatorships as an interrogation specialist. Following his extradition he was condemned for his crimes and died in a French prison. By 1985 the government's impotence prompted Congress to call early elections, citing the fact that Siles had been originally elected five long years before. His old rival, MNR's Víctor Paz Estenssoro

1710-467: The circumstances, the military announced in September 1982 that to spare the expense of new elections and avoid further unrest, it would reconvene the legislature elected in 1980 and accept whomever it chose as president. Congress reconvened on 23 September and reconfirmed the 1980 election results. On 5 October, it overwhelmingly elected Siles as president. He was sworn into his second term on 10 October, with

1767-702: The coup. In 1971 Siles formed the Leftwing Revolutionary Nationalist Movement ( Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario de Izquierda , MNRI), beginning a steady leftwards drift. After the 1978 democratic opening, Siles returned to Bolivia and formed a grand alliance of the left with the Revolutionary Left Movement , the Communist Party, and others. Together, they formed the Democratic and Popular Union (UDP), which triumphed in

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1824-410: The crimes committed during Banzer's seven years of dictatorship, displaying extraordinary oratorical skills, as well as a lucid analytical and critical capacity. Hanging over the campaign were signs that certain sectors of the military were not prepared to allow a democratic transition. It was feared that, depending on who won, the military would not accept the results. Ominously, the ultra-right wing of

1881-541: The eastern departments. Both the UDP and the PS-1 achieved their best performances in the west while the Bolivian Socialist Falange (FSB) and ADN were more successful in the east. The lack of a 50% majority for any candidate meant that the National Congress would convene to elect the president on 6 August 1980. However, on 17 July a coup led by General Luis García Meza overthrew the interim government of Lidia Gueiler Tejada. Lacking any form of political support,

1938-544: The elite narcotics unit, the Leopardos, were involved in the abduction. The commanding officer of the unit was arrested. The economic situation was dire, with growing hyperinflation . Siles had great difficulty in controlling the situation, and received scant support from the political parties or members of Congress, most of whom were eager to flex their political muscles after so many years of military authoritarianism. The unions, led by their old leader Juan Lechín , paralyzed

1995-489: The end of Siles' term in 1960, Estenssoro again ran for president in 1960 elections and, upon being elected, sent Siles as ambassador to Uruguay until 1963 and as ambassador to Spain (1963–64). In 1964 Siles broke with Estrassoro over the latter's decision to run for another consecutive term. Siles initially supported the November 1964 coup d'état by vice-president, General René Barrientos and army chief Alfredo Ovando — but

2052-508: The face of nationwide protests. Mesa soon resigned and presidential elections were scheduled for December 2005. In these elections MNR received only 6.5% of the popular vote and won 7 out of 130 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 1 out of 27 seats in the Senate . Its candidate in the presidential elections was Michiaki Nagatani , whose poor performance demonstrated a steep decline in the fortunes of

2109-432: The government with constant strikes, and even the vice-president, Jaime Paz, deserted the sinking ship when Siles' popularity sank to an all-time low. The 1982–86 hyperinflation would end up being the fourth largest ever recorded in the world. Still, Siles refused to adopt extra-constitutional measures, preferring instead to consolidate the hard-earned Bolivian democracy regardless of the personal cost to him. He even went on

2166-515: The influential Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario, or MNR). The MNR was behind the coup that installed the progressive military administration of Gualberto Villarroel (1943–46), but was forced from power due to U.S. pressure and also by Villarroel's overthrow in 1946 after which Siles was exiled to Argentina. There he worked as a correspondent for Associated Press from November 1947 until September 1948. In 1949, Siles returns to Bolivia to stand for election to

2223-483: The left-leaning Left-wing Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNRI) in 1971. Indeed, Siles was the post-MNR politician who was best able to capitalize on the remaining legitimacy and respect that MNR had as a result of the 1952 Revolution. Paz Estenssoro led the MNR-proper in the Bolivian general elections of 1978 , 1979 , and 1980 elections, finishing third, second, and second, respectively. Led by Sánchez de Lozada,

2280-402: The left-wing General Celso Torrelio president. The Torrelio government was equally oppressive but only lasted another year. On 19 July 1982, the military once again secured the resignation of the president. A new military triumvirate was formed which appointed Guido Vildoso president on 21 July. The Vildoso government accelerated the re-democratization process. Seeing the grave situation in

2337-507: The office, the government instituted far-reaching reforms, including the establishment of the universal vote, nationalization of the largest mining concerns in the country, and the adoption of a major agrarian reform. In 1956 Estenssoro left the office, as the Bolivian Constitution forbade a sitting president from running for another consecutive term. Siles, his logical successor, easily won the elections of 1956 and became President of

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2394-519: The party as the Bolivian political scene began to be dominated by Evo Morales . For the 2009 elections, the MNR was a component of the Plan Progress for Bolivia – National Convergence . The party's future is uncertain as it is no longer represented in the parliament and its last government has been tarnished by serious accusations of corruption, economic mismanagement and armed suppression of protesters. The Revolutionary Nationalist Movement currently

2451-703: The popular vote and 36 out of 130 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 11 out of 27 in the Senate. Following these elections, because no presidential candidate had received a majority, the Congress chose the President, and they again elected Sánchez de Lozada. After the 2002 elections, the party ruled in a coalition with the Revolutionary Left Movement . In 2003 Sanchez was forced to resign, and his successor, independent candidate Carlos Mesa took over in hopes of promoting national unity in

2508-461: The presidencies of Paz Estenssoro (1952–56 and 1960–64) and Hernán Siles Zuazo (1956–60) were the top leaders of the Revolutionary period, establishing the universal vote, nationalizing the tin mines, and instituting an extensive agrarian reform. During this time many of the old elitist parties which had previously dominated Bolivian politics either disappeared or faded into irrelevance. This left

2565-466: The presidency, promising to hold fresh elections in July the following year. In the subsequent elections in July 1979, no candidate for president received over 50% of the vote. When Congress was required to elect a president, it failed to come to a majority agreement after three ballots. Instead, Senate leader Wálter Guevara was elected to serve as interim president for a year on 8 August. However, Guevara

2622-523: The presidential elections, more votes were cast than there were registered voters. After examining a number of allegations of fraud and other irregularities, the Electoral Court decided to annul the results on 20 July. The following day, Pereda was installed as president following a military coup. Pereda himself was overthrown by yet another military coup in November, which saw General David Padilla assume

2679-429: The results and instead turned over the presidency to the commander of the Bolivian army, general Hugo Ballivián . At that point the MNR party went underground and on 9–11 April 1952 led the historic Bolivian National Revolution , aided by defections from the armed forces to the rebel cause (key among which was general Antonio Seleme). Siles played a major role in the revolutionary uprising, along with Juan Lechín , since

2736-627: The third consecutive presidential election in a row. 13 candidates presented themselves for the 1980 elections including a total of 5 former presidents. Hernán Siles Zuazo, narrow popular vote winner of the 1979 election, returned with his Democratic and Popular Union (UDP) coalition while the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement-Alliance (MNR-A) once again presented MNR leader Víctor Paz Estenssoro as their candidate with Ñuflo Chávez Ortiz , former vice president to Siles Zuazo, as Paz Estenssoro's running mate. Paz Estenssoro

2793-516: The third in three years. As no candidate in the presidential elections received a majority of the vote, the National Congress was required to elect a President on 6 August. With Hernán Siles Zuazo of the Democratic and Popular Union the favourite to win the Congressional ballot, the process was disrupted on 17 July by the military coup led by General Luis García Meza Tejada . However, Meza

2850-451: The vote, and Congress elected Wálter Guevara a temporary president. Siles finished first in 1980, but came up short of a majority. Days before Congress was due to convene to choose a winner, the army launched the bloody coup of 17 July 1980, which installed a reactionary (and cocaine-tainted) dictatorship of General Luis García Meza . Siles escaped to exile in Peru by crossing Lake Titicaca on

2907-487: The war he finished San Andres University with a degree in law. Siles was married to Maria Teresa Ormachea del Carpio and had three daughters, Marcela, Ana Maria and Isabel. In 1940 Siles was elected in the Chamber of Deputies. Gravitating toward the reformist side of the political spectrum (even though his father had been one of the pillars of the Old Regime), in 1941 he founded along with Víctor Paz Estenssoro and others,

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2964-640: Was elected president, and Siles left for Uruguay, a country where he had lived before in exile and for which he held special affection. He died in Montevideo , Uruguay in August 1996 at the age of 82. 1980 Bolivian general election Lidia Gueiler Tejada (interim) PRIN Election results annulled Luis García Meza becomes de facto president Hernán Siles Zuazo After 10 October 1982 MNRI General elections were held in Bolivia on 29 June 1980,

3021-409: Was faced with the repercussions of Alberto Natusch's 1 November coup. This was due to the fact that certain congressional members of the MNR, most notably Guillermo Bedregal and José Fellman, had participated in the coup that brought Alberto Natusch to power. Paz Estenssoro had also been himself accused of participating in the planning of the coup, though this could not be proven. The scandal resulted in

3078-511: Was later exiled when it became apparent that the military intended to manipulate 1966 electoral results to perpetuate itself in power. Except for a five-month interlude during which his half-brother held the presidency, the armed forces remained in control of the Presidential Palacio Quemado until 1982. In 1971 Siles opposed the right-wing coup of general Hugo Banzer , prompting an irreversible break with Estenssoro, who supported

3135-486: Was later overthrown by another military coup led by Alberto Natusch on 31 October and 1 November. Natusch himself would only last sixteen days in office, after which he was forced to resign. To save face, Natusch extracted from Congress an agreement that Guevara would not resume the interim presidency. As such, Congress instead elected Lidia Gueiler Tejada , then leader of the Chamber of Deputies, as interim president. Gueiler called new elections to be held on 29 June 1980,

3192-527: Was pressured to resign on 4 August 1981, resulting in General Celso Torrelio becoming president. In July 1982 he was replaced by General Guido Vildoso , who was named by the high command to return the country to democratic rule. On 17 September 1982, during a general strike that brought the country close to civil war, the military decided to step down, to reconvene the National Congress elected in 1980, and to accept its choice of president. Accordingly,

3249-590: Was the illegitimate son of the last Republican Party president of Bolivia, Hernando Siles Reyes and Isabel Zuazo Cusicanqui. Siles was raised by his mother. His half-brother Luis Adolfo Siles Salinas was president for five months in 1969. In 1931 Siles graduated from the American Institute in La Paz. He served in Bolivian army and was decorated for injury sustained while fighting in the Chaco War of 1932–35. After

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