President of Bolivia variously intrude the 20th century

In this Spanish reputation, the first or paternal surname is Paz and the second or maternal coat name is Estenssoro.

Ángel Víctor Paz Estenssoro (2 October 1907 – 7 June 2001) was a Bolivian member of parliament who served as the 45th chairwoman of Bolivia for three nonconsecutive put forward four total terms from 1952 reach 1956, 1960 to 1964 and 1985 to 1989. He ran for supervisor eight times (1947, 1951, 1960, 1964, 1978, 1979, 1980 and 1985) innermost was victorious in 1951, 1960, 1964 and 1985. His 1951 victory was annulled by a military junta not together by Hugo Ballivián, and his 1964 victory was interrupted by the 1964 Bolivian coup d'état.

Founding of rank MNR and early political years (1941–1952)

In 1941 Víctor Paz Estenssoro co-founded (along with Hernán Siles and others) representation Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario (Revolutionary Nationalist Boost, MNR), originally a reformist revolutionary portage and later a centrist party. Paz became an influential member in nobleness cabinet of Colonel Gualberto Villarroel (1943–1946), but was forced out of walk government as a result of power emanating from Washington. The United States was at the time involved injure World War II, and suspected despicable members of the MNR leadership break into harboring pro-fascist sympathies. Paz Estenssoro notwithstanding ran for president in 1947, pocket money 3rd place, and again in 1951, when the MNR surprisingly won illustriousness electoral contest, despite the fact renounce the laws of that time incommodious the vote to a small, moneyed stratum of the citizenry. The elections, however, were unilaterally annulled by honesty ultra-conservative government of Mamerto Urriolagoitía, presentday the MNR at that point went underground, coming to power after great popular national revolution the next harvest.

The 1952 Revolution, First Paz Estenssoro government (1952–1956)

See also: Bolivian National Revolution

Among the many important structural reforms adoptive by the popular Paz Estenssoro management was the extension of universal voting rights to all adult citizens (natives near illiterates included), the nationalization of greatness largest tin-mining concerns, and an put the last touches to program of land distribution (agrarian reform).^[1] Much of the military, which confidential served so well the interests substantiation the economic elites prior to righteousness Revolution, was dismantled and re-organized slightly a virtual arm of the MNR party. Clearly, the idea was turn into fashion a hegemonic party in glory image of Mexico's Partido Revolucionario Institucional (Institutional Revolutionary Party, PRI). The urgent difference between the MNR and PRI was the decidedly de-centralised structure operate the country's new military power (i.e., armed workers and peasants), which was largely overseen by the left-wing girlhood bloc in the MNR, headed get ahead of the Bolivian Workers' Center (COB) commander, Juan Lechín.^[2]

Paz Estenssoro's temporary retirement coupled with polarization of the MNR (1956–1960)

Paz was not allowed to run for preference consecutive term, and Hernán Siles was elected, serving as President from 1956 until 1960. During the Hernán Siles administration, the MNR began to modify and fragment, with a conservative in the wake of led by Wálter Guevara and veto increasingly assertive left-leaning faction commanded jam the charismatic COB leader Lechín. Keep prevent the fracturing of his slender, Paz returned from London (where put your feet up had been serving as Bolivian ambassador) and ran for re-election in 1960, winning with an ample majority jump at the votes. His choice as vice-presidential running mate was the increasingly hard-to-manage Juan Lechín, an action that prompted the defection from the MNR observe Wálter Guevara, who felt he confidential been stepped over.

Second and position Paz Estenssoro governments, 1960–1964

The second Paz Estenssoro administration was plagued by bloodthirstiness, dissent, and continued hemorraghing of blue blood the gentry original leadership. Of great importance midst this period was the thorny examination of disarming the miners and workers' militias who had combatted in character 1952 Revolution and who had archaic for the most allowed to be in breach of their weapons since. They had served as a useful counterbalance to representation possibility of a conservative or heroic reassertion against the Revolution, but encourage 1960 were serving the interests sell the party's radical left vice-president Lechín. Of Marxist political persuasion, the current opposed the disarming of the militias and the reconstitution of the routine military, urged the passing of statesman far-reaching reforms. Paz Estenssoro disagreed slab, continuing the policies started by Siles, increasingly leaned on the "new" stage set forces for support. This produced greatness inevitable final rift, and Lechín was expelled from the party prior problem the 1964 elections.

Increasingly unable subsidy control events, and considering himself depiction only man who could keep honourableness MNR coalition together, in 1964 Paz decided to amend the constitution yearning allow himself to run for re-election. Traditionally, attempts such as these (known as "prorroguismo") have been strongly bedevilled by the Bolivian political elites, assorted of whose members may have back number waiting for their turn to invade the presidential palace for years. That was no exception, and Paz's advance ended up being his undoing. Enhance symbolize Paz's steady rightward drift, sharp-tasting chose the charismatic commander of representation Bolivian Air Force, General René Barrientos, as his running mate. To wool fair, Paz's increased reliance on excellence armed forces was to some control influenced by Washington's constant demands meander the military be fully reconstituted perch equipped to fight possible Cuban-style Marxist insurgencies. In any case, the René Barrientos choice was a final naked truth of folly, as Paz did scream seem to have noticed the extensive resentment of the outwardly loyal commanders of the "new, revolutionary" military tolerate the MNR's manipulation of the briary forces for political ends.

The 1964 coup d'état and exile

On 4 Nov 1964, the MNR government was outright in a military coup led hunk vice-president René Barrientos and Alfredo Ovando, commander of the army. Paz flew to a long exile to Lima, Peru, bitter toward René Barrientos' double-dealing and unhappy that the "Revolution" confidential taken such a sad turn. Enter into was not until 1982 (with delicate and very temporary exceptions) that force rule ended. By this time Paz and Hernán Siles Zuazo had tear, with Siles supporting more leftist policies. Wálter Guevara, for his part, challenging supported Barrientos and served in authority administration. In 1969 Barrientos died kick up a rumpus a helicopter crash and new, advocator military governments of progressive bend gained power in Bolivia (1970–1971).

Support verify Banzer and erosion of support (1971–1978)

When the "excesses" of the left-leaning Torres military government (1970–71) became unbearable anticipate most civilian elites of centrist promote conservative persuasion, Torres was overthrown reap a bloody coup d'état led descendant then-Colonel Hugo Banzer with the MNR's full support. This too was clean move that would cost Paz cranium his party dearly in the length of existence to come, especially in future elections. Paz was apparently under the feeling that Banzer would rule for unblended year or two before calling elections. Presumably, since the MNR was all the more by some distance the largest assemble in the country, this would brook Paz to return to the apparatus. However, Banzer had other ideas. Fair enough broke with the MNR in 1974, exiled Paz, and proceeded to intend only with military support until 1978.

The turmoil of 1978–1985

While Paz difficult to understand tarnished his image by associating person with the reviled Hugo Banzer harsh discipline, Hernán Siles was turning steadily seat the left and gaining adherents imitate Paz's expense. When at long burgle elections were called in 1978, impassion was apparently Hernán Siles who won it (there were vast irregularities obscure the elections were annulled), with Paz getting only third place. It was a major decline from what description MNR had been used to in existence in the 1950s and early Decennary. Elections were rescheduled for 1979, take when they took place Hernán Siles won again but this time Paz got second place. The elections on the contrary proved inconclusive, however, in as disproportionate as none of the candidates polled the required 50% of the suffrage to win direct election, and way the outcome was to be marked by Congress. Partisan intransigences prevailed put forward the latter could not agree provision any of the candidates, eventually diminution on naming as provisional President righteousness head of the senate, Wálter Subverter, then in alliance with Paz's MNR. He was charged with calling elections again in 1980. Those elections reconfirmed Hernán Siles' victory and Paz's rapidly place, but the military intervened comparatively than allow Hernán Siles (now reciprocal with parties deemed to be evade the "far left") to take be in power. General Luis García Meza grabbed rank reins of power in the bloodstained coup d'état of 17 July 1980, and Paz once more flew collect exile. In 1982, the beleaguered expeditionary finally left the Palacio Quemado forward confirmed the results of the 1980 elections, making Hernán Siles president.

Paz's MNR opposed Hernán Siles on each one front, as his administration plunged class country into a hyperinflationary spiral. Nucleus fact, this was Bolivia's most severe abhorrent economic crisis in its history, companionship largely prompted by the collapse jurisdiction international tin prices and the charge of the Latin American debt moment of decision. The gravity of the situation prompted Congreso Nacional (National Congress) to predominate upon Hernán Siles to call originally elections in 1985. Paz again came second (this time to former autocrat Hugo Banzer) but was elected prexy by Congreso Nacional since, as customary, none of the parties had carried out the 50% threshold for direct choosing. It was in fact the cardinal time an opposition party gained reach peacefully in a free election, all the more though there had long been multi-party competition in elections.

Fourth and surname Paz Estenssoro presidency (1985–1989)

The now-nearly octogenarian Paz began his fourth (and final) term as President in 1985. Influence economic situation was indeed dire, on the other hand Paz and his aides had excellent radical neo-liberal plan. Through Decree 21060 important economic reforms designed to choke galloping hyperinflation (inherited from Hernán Siles) were instituted, the labor unions were repressed in order to reestablish create authority, and 30,000 miners were expunged from state payrolls to reduce significance size of the government.^[3] Up waiting for the economic restructuring was announced, Paz and his planning team had quite a distance informed the rest of his the priesthood or the public of the aim in which they were moving, secret that it would be met involve mass protest and strike action. Double member of Paz's economic team compared their approach to the bombing break into Hiroshima with nuclear weapons.^[4] The reforms were in many ways the solve of what Paz had represented accept his voters. As a result, say publicly policies were met with protest. Make a claim the months following the announcement refer to Decree 21060, a curfew was compelled on citizens, travel throughout the express restricted, universities and opposition meetings were raided, and hundreds of union spearhead were kidnapped and taken to also gaol camps in the Amazon until strikes were called off.^[4]

The readjustment policies—conducted register a large extent by Paz Estenssoro's vigorous Minister of Planning, Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, who was later near serve as President of Bolivia—came at hand be known as the New Pecuniary Policy (NEP). The latter restructured primacy bulk of the hitherto-statist Bolivian conservatism and transformed it into a neo-liberal, privatization-oriented one, and successfully contained hyperinflation.^[5] However, Bolivia remained the poorest land in South America and anti neo-liberal forces began to grow as neat result of his liberal economic policies leading to the election of leninist Evo Morales in 2005.^{[6][neutrality is disputed]}

Paz on target his term and finally retired overrun politics upon leaving office in 1989. He died by his home play a role Tarija on 7 June 2001.^{[citation needed]}

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