Bolivian presidential election, 2005
Encyclopedia
The 2005 Bolivian presidential election was held on December 18, 2005. The two main candidates were Evo Morales
of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) Party, and Jorge Quiroga
, leader of the Democratic and Social Power (PODEMOS) Party and former head of the Acción Democrática Nacionalista
(ADN) Party. Felipe Quispe
, of the Pachakuti Indigenous Movement (MIP), also presented himself. Morales won the election with 54% of the vote, an absolute majority; Quiroga conceded defeat, and Morales was sworn in on January 22, 2006, for a five-year term. Morales claimed his victory marks Bolivia's first election of an indigenous head of state, but this claim genered controversy, however, due to the number of mestizo
presidents who came before him, and was challenged publicly by such figures as Mario Vargas Llosa
, who accuse Evo of fomenting racial divisions in an increasingly mestizo
Latin America.
is a landlocked
country in South America and has one of the highest rates of poverty in the Western Hemisphere with nearly 70% living below the poverty line and 14.4% living on less than one U.S. dollar a day.
The total population is about 9.1 million with 3.7 million citizens registered to vote. About 30% of the electorate are Quechua-speaking and 25% are Aymara. Voting is compulsory
for all Bolivians over the age of 18.
Bolivians abroad were not able to take part. Bolivia's ethnic distribution is estimated to be 33% Quechua and 30% Aymara Amerindians, 25% Mestizo
(mixed Amerindian and European) and 12% European.
In the 2000s, there were high levels of political instability across the country, including five Presidents in four years. Much of the instability dates back to the economic reforms otherwise known as "shock therapy
" implemented by President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada
whereby many formerly public utilities were privatized
.
These reforms ultimately lead to the First Bolivian Gas War
in October 2003 where protesters, many of them of indigenous descent, essentially forced the resignation of Sánchez de Lozada. Carlos Mesa
temporarily served as interim President.
In his year in office, Mesa held a national referendum
on the prospect of the nationalization of the hydrocarbons industry which he claimed to have won. Critics however said that the questions were vague and ambiguous with regard to outright nationalization of the hydrocarbons industry.
In May 2005 the Second Bolivian Gas War began after Congress agreed to raise taxes on foreign companies from 18% to 32%. The unions, led by Evo Morales
, felt the law did not go far enough and effectively shut down the country, blockading major roads and cutting off the food supplies of several large cities.
In June 2005 the protests ultimately led to Mesa's resignation. Supreme Court Chief Justice Eduardo Rodríguez
assumed the position of President of the Republic after the presidents of both the Senate and Chamber of Deputies declined the position and Rodríguez was fourth in line of succession.
Viewed as an apolitical figure, Rodríguez was welcomed by protesters and called for the presidential elections slated to take place in 2007 to be brought forward to December 2005.
Evo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) Party, and Jorge Quiroga
Jorge Quiroga
Jorge Fernando "Tuto" Quiroga Ramírez was President of Bolivia from August 7, 2001 to August 6, 2002. He is of Spanish descent.-Background and early life:...
, leader of the Democratic and Social Power (PODEMOS) Party and former head of the Acción Democrática Nacionalista
Nationalist Democratic Action
Nationalist Democratic Action is a right-wing political party in Bolivia led by Jorge Quiroga. ADN was founded on March 23, 1979 by the military dictator Hugo Banzer after he stepped down from power. It later expanded to include the Revolutionary Left Party and a faction of the Bolivian Socialist...
(ADN) Party. Felipe Quispe
Felipe Quispe
Felipe Quispe Huanca "El Mallku" is an ethnic Aymara Bolivian political leader. He heads the Pachakuti Indigenous Movement and has also been general secretary of the United Union Confederation of Working Peasants of Bolivia...
, of the Pachakuti Indigenous Movement (MIP), also presented himself. Morales won the election with 54% of the vote, an absolute majority; Quiroga conceded defeat, and Morales was sworn in on January 22, 2006, for a five-year term. Morales claimed his victory marks Bolivia's first election of an indigenous head of state, but this claim genered controversy, however, due to the number of mestizo
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
presidents who came before him, and was challenged publicly by such figures as Mario Vargas Llosa
Mario Vargas Llosa
Jorge Mario Pedro Vargas Llosa, 1st Marquis of Vargas Llosa is a Peruvian-Spanish writer, politician, journalist, essayist, and Nobel Prize laureate. Vargas Llosa is one of Latin America's most significant novelists and essayists, and one of the leading authors of his generation...
, who accuse Evo of fomenting racial divisions in an increasingly mestizo
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
Latin America.
Background
BoliviaBolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
is a landlocked
Landlocked
A landlocked country is a country entirely enclosed by land, or whose only coastlines lie on closed seas. There are 48 landlocked countries in the world, including partially recognized states...
country in South America and has one of the highest rates of poverty in the Western Hemisphere with nearly 70% living below the poverty line and 14.4% living on less than one U.S. dollar a day.
The total population is about 9.1 million with 3.7 million citizens registered to vote. About 30% of the electorate are Quechua-speaking and 25% are Aymara. Voting is compulsory
Compulsory voting
Compulsory voting is a system in which electors are obliged to vote in elections or attend a polling place on voting day. If an eligible voter does not attend a polling place, he or she may be subject to punitive measures such as fines, community service, or perhaps imprisonment if fines are unpaid...
for all Bolivians over the age of 18.
Bolivians abroad were not able to take part. Bolivia's ethnic distribution is estimated to be 33% Quechua and 30% Aymara Amerindians, 25% Mestizo
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
(mixed Amerindian and European) and 12% European.
In the 2000s, there were high levels of political instability across the country, including five Presidents in four years. Much of the instability dates back to the economic reforms otherwise known as "shock therapy
Shock therapy (economics)
In economics, shock therapy refers to the sudden release of price and currency controls, withdrawal of state subsidies, and immediate trade liberalization within a country, usually also including large scale privatization of previously public owned assets....
" implemented by President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada
Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada
Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada y Sánchez de Bustamante , familiarly known as "Goni", is a Bolivian politician, businessman, and former President of Bolivia. A lifelong member of the Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario , he is credited for using "shock therapy", the economic theory championed by then...
whereby many formerly public utilities were privatized
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
.
These reforms ultimately lead to the First Bolivian Gas War
Bolivian Gas War
The Bolivian gas conflict was a social confrontation in Bolivia centering on the exploitation of the country's vast natural gas reserves. The expression can be extended to refer to the general conflict in Bolivia over the exploitation of gas resources, thus including the 2005 protests and the...
in October 2003 where protesters, many of them of indigenous descent, essentially forced the resignation of Sánchez de Lozada. Carlos Mesa
Carlos Mesa
Carlos Diego Mesa Gisbert is a Bolivian politician, historian and President of Bolivia from October 17, 2003 until his resignation on June 6, 2005....
temporarily served as interim President.
In his year in office, Mesa held a national referendum
Bolivian gas referendum, 2004
Bolivia held a referendum on the future of its natural gas reserves on Sunday, 18 July 2004. The referendum was one of the first promises made by President Carlos Mesa upon assuming the presidency in the aftermath of the Bolivian Gas War of October 2003 that saw his predecessor, Gonzalo Sánchez de...
on the prospect of the nationalization of the hydrocarbons industry which he claimed to have won. Critics however said that the questions were vague and ambiguous with regard to outright nationalization of the hydrocarbons industry.
In May 2005 the Second Bolivian Gas War began after Congress agreed to raise taxes on foreign companies from 18% to 32%. The unions, led by Evo Morales
Evo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
, felt the law did not go far enough and effectively shut down the country, blockading major roads and cutting off the food supplies of several large cities.
In June 2005 the protests ultimately led to Mesa's resignation. Supreme Court Chief Justice Eduardo Rodríguez
Eduardo Rodríguez
Eduardo Rodríguez Veltzé is a former president of Bolivia; prior to that appointment he was the chief justice of the Supreme Court.-Background:...
assumed the position of President of the Republic after the presidents of both the Senate and Chamber of Deputies declined the position and Rodríguez was fourth in line of succession.
Viewed as an apolitical figure, Rodríguez was welcomed by protesters and called for the presidential elections slated to take place in 2007 to be brought forward to December 2005.
External links
- National Electoral Court of Bolivia (in Spanish)
- BBC "Crucial Choice for Bolivian Voters"
- BBC "Q&A: Bolivian Elections"
- CBC "Left-wing candidate favoured to win Bolivian election"
- NPR's Weekend Edition: "Bolivians Vote for President"
- NPR's All Things Considered "Bolivia Prepares for Presidential Election"
- MAS Official Campaign Site