Bolivian general election, 1980

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General elections were held in Bolivia on 29 June 1980, the third in three years.[1] 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 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, 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.[2]

Background

General elections had previously been held in July 1978, the first since 1966, with several military coups taking place during the late 1960s and early 1970s.[1] Although Juan Pereda of the Nationalist Union of the People won the presidential elections, more votes were cast than there were registered voters.[3] After examining a number of allegations of fraud and other irregularities, the Electoral Court decided to annul the results on 20 July.[4] 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 the presidency,[5] promising to hold fresh elections in July the following year.[6]

The 1979 general elections saw no candidate for President receive over 50% of the vote, and when Congress was required to elect a President, it failed to do so after three ballots. Instead, Senate leader Wálter Guevara was elected to serve as Interim President for a year on 8 August.[7] However, Guevara was later overthrown by another military coup led by Alberto Natusch on 31 October.

Campaign

Several alliances were formed for the elections:[8]

Alliance Parties
Democratic and Popular UnionCommunist Party
Leftwing Revolutionary Nationalist Movement
Popular Movement for National Liberation
Revolutionary Left Movement
Socialist Party–Atahuichi
Workers' Vanguard Party
Revolutionary Nationalist Movement-AllianceCommunist Party of Bolivia (Marxist–Leninist)
Leftwing Revolutionary Nationalist Movement – 1
Revolutionary Nationalist Movement
Democratic Revolutionary Front-New AlternativeChristian Democratic Party
National Alliance of the Left
Offensive of the Democratic Left
Socialist Party–Aponte

Results

Party Presidential candidate Votes % Seats
Chamber +/– Senate +/–
Democratic and Popular UnionHernán Siles Zuazo507,17338.747+910+2
Revolutionary Nationalist Movement-AllianceVíctor Paz Estenssoro263,70620.234–1410–6
Nationalist Democratic ActionHugo Banzer220,30916.824+56+3
Socialist Party-1Marcelo Quiroga Santa Cruz113,9598.710+51+1
Democratic Revolutionary Front-New AlternativeLuis Adolfo Siles Salinas39,4013.05New0New
Authentic Revolutionary PartyWálter Guevara36,4432.83New0New
MNRUMINGuillermo Bedregal24,5421.92New0New
Bolivian Socialist FalangeCarlos Valverde21,3721.63New0New
Alliance of Nationalist Left Forces of the MNRRoberto Jordan Pando17,1501.30New0New
Indian Movement Túpac Katari-OneConstantino Lima17,0231.31New0New
Bolivian Union PartyWalter Gonzales Valda16,3801.30–100
Indian Movement Túpac KatariLuciano Tapia Quisbert15,8521.21000
Revolutionary Party of the Nationalist LeftJuan Lechín Oquendo15,7241.20000
Invalid/blank votes180,450
Total1,489,484100130+13270
Registered voters/turnout2,004,28474.3
Source: Nohlen

Congressional ballot

Candidate Party Votes %
Hernán Siles ZuazoDemocratic and Popular Union11379.6
Hugo BanzerNationalist Democratic Action2920.4
Invalid/blank votes4
Total146100
Registered voters/turnout15793.0
Source: Ontiveros[9]

References

  1. 1 2 Nohlen, D (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume II, p133 ISBN 978-0-19-928358-3
  2. Bolivia - Transition to Democracy Library of Congress Country Studies
  3. Nohlen, p143
  4. Waltraud Q Morales (2003) A brief history of Bolivia New York: Facts On File, p195
  5. Nohlen, p157
  6. 1979 IPU
  7. Report on the situation of human rights in the Republic of Bolivia: Chapter IV: Political rights OAS
  8. Nohlen, p139
  9. Luis Iriarte Ontiveros (1983) Democracia y el Congreso del 80 La Paz: Editorial Amerindia, p44
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