Dictatorship, 1971–1978 Hugo Banzer

hugo banzer in 1970s

on august 18, 1971, general banzer, @ long last, masterminded successful military uprising erupted in santa cruz de la sierra, had many supporters. eventually, plotters gained control on la paz garrisons, although not without considerable bloodshed. combined levels of united states , brazilian involvement coup d état have been debated apparent significant clandestine financial & advisory assistance existed @ critical level within nixon administration banzer. such backing secured, general banzer emerged strong man of new regime, and, on august 22, given full power president. conversely, president juan josé torres forced take refuge in buenos aires, argentina 5 years later kidnapped , assassinated right-wing death squads associated videla government , acquiescence of hugo banzer. murder part of operation condor. interestingly, received political support of center-right movimiento nacionalista revolucionario (mnr) of former president víctor paz estenssoro , conservative falange socialista boliviana of mario gutiérrez, considered 2 largest parties in country. next 7 years, , rank of army general, banzer ruled bolivia dictator.

frustrated political divisions , protests characterized torres , ovando years, and, traditionally enemy of dissent , freedom of speech, banzer banned left-leaning parties, suspended powerful central obrera boliviana, , closed nation s universities. order paramount aim, , no means spared restore authority , stifle dissent. buoyed initial legitimacy provided paz , gutierrez s support, dictator ruled measure of civilian support until 1974, when main parties realized did not intend hold elections , instead using them perpetuate himself in power. @ point, banzer dispensed pretenses , banned political activity, exiled major leaders (paz estenssoro included), , proceeded rule henceforth solely military support.

human rights groups claim during banzer s 1971-78 tenure (known banzerato) several thousand bolivians sought asylum in foreign countries, 3,000 political opponents arrested, 200 killed, , many more tortured. in basement of ministry of interior or horror chambers around 2,000 political prisoners held , tortured during 1971-1978 military rule. many others disappeared. among victims of regime colonel andrés selich, banzer s first minister of interior , co-conspirator in august 1971 coup. selich accused of plotting overthrow banzer , died of blows sustained while in custody. 2 other leaders sufficient stature potentially eclipse dictator murdered under suspicious circumstances while in exile: general joanquin zenteno anaya , former president juan josé torres, both in 1976.

much of stability achieved banzerato sustained constant flow of easy credit abroad, used on mammoth white elephant projects of dubious usefulness nonetheless impressed sectors of population. loans raise bolivia s external debt record levels, proved useful in manipulation of political patronage. in 1975, banzer restored diplomatic relations chile, broken since 1962, eye toward obtaining access pacific ocean, denied bolivia since loss of maritime coast in 19th century war of pacific. chilean dictator augusto pinochet offered narrow outlet north of port of arica, on border peru, on lands had belonged country. according terms of treaty handed territory chile, peru had agree proposal of transferring land third party. peru refused accept pinochet proposal , instead created own counter-proposal, declared arica , waters area of joint-sovereignty between 3 nations. chile refused proposal , talks bolivia ended. diplomatic relations once again frozen in 1978.

democratic opening of 1978 , toppling

pressure carter administration forced banzer institute regulated democratic opening in 1978. restricted amnesty declared, , country prepared democratic elections. since bolivian constitution did not @ time allow sitting president succeed himself, banzer endorsed general juan pereda regime s candidate. assumed pereda elected government @ polls, rule 4 years, , allow banzer return constitutional president once had time polish image , transition civilian politics. however, election time popularity of left-wing coalition of former president hernán siles such nothing disguise it.

still, massive fraud committed , pereda declared winner. official results showed pereda not far ahead of siles, few thousand votes on threshold win presidency outright. however, massive protests brought country halt, , independent organizations agreed exit polls indicated siles had won handily. later emerged 200,000 more votes cast total number of registered voters.

with evidence of irregularities strong him declare pereda winner, banzer annulled elections , denounced electoral fraud, blaming on pereda , supporters. declared call fresh elections within year or two.

however, pereda , other officers felt banzer manipulating them own political ends. overthrew banzer in coup on 21 july. pereda blamed banzer fraud , promised call elections in future, though didn t specify time frame. pereda, in turn, overthrown in november 1978 democratically-oriented officers under general david padilla who, embarrassed events of last few months (and suspecting pereda did not intend call new elections either), promptly set firm date return civilian rule.