Juan José Torres
Encyclopedia
Juan José Torres González (5 March 1920 – 2 June 1976) was a Bolivia
n socialist
politician and military leader. He served as President of Bolivia
from October 7, 1970 to August 21, 1971. He was popularly known as "J.J." (Jota-Jota). Juan José Torres was murdered in 1976 in Buenos Aires, in the frame of Operation Condor
.
heritage with mainly Aymara ancestry and joined the military as a young man, eventually rising to the rank of general. He became the reform-minded dictator Alfredo Ovando's right-hand man and commander of the army when the latter came to power as a result of a coup d'état in September 1969. Torres became one of the more left-leaning officers in the Bolivian military, urging Ovando to enact more far-reaching reforms and to stand up to the more conservative officers. On October 6, 1970, an anti-government coup d'état took place, led by right-wing military commanders. Much blood was shed on the streets of various major cities, with military garrisons fighting each other on behalf of one camp or the other. Eventually, President Ovando sought asylum in a foreign embassy, believing all hope was lost. But the leftist military forces re-asserted themselves under the combative leadership of general Torres, and eventually triumphed. Worn out by 13 grueling months in office, Ovando agreed to leave the presidency in the hands of his friend, general Torres, the hero of the moment. The latter was sworn in and went on to govern the country for 10 difficult and tumultuous months.
, Torres - like his contemporaries Juan Velasco in Peru
and Omar Torrijos
in Panama
- was decidedly left wing. He was known as a man of the people and was popular in some sectors of the Bolivian society. His mestizo and even native-Andean features enhanced his standing with the poorer sectors of society. Despite Torres' best intentions, his marked leftward drift did not stabilize the country. He called an Asamblea del Pueblo, or People's Assembly, in which representatives of specific "proletarian" sectors of society were represented (miners, unionized teachers, students, peasants). The Assembly was imbued with all the powers of a working parliament, even though opponents of the regime tended to call it a gathering of virtual soviets. Torres also allowed the legendary (and Trotskyst-oriented) labor leader, Juan Lechín, to resume his post as head of the Central Obrera Boliviana/Bolivian Workers' Union (COB) and to operate without a single restraint. To his surprise, Lechín proceeded to cripple the government with strikes.
In the end, "J.J." was a victim of the same conundrum that had plagued Ovando: he was seen as leading the country to Communism itself by his enemies on the right, but was essentially mistrusted by those on the left for being a member of the military. To the former, he was going too far and for the latter, not nearly far enough. The Nixon administration may also have played a role in sabotaging the Torres regime and calling for its ouster.
After less than a year in power, Torres was overthrown in a bloody coup d'état
led by the Junta of Commanders of the Armed Forces
. Despite massive resistance — both civilian
and military — the conservative forces had learned the lessons of the failed October, 1970 uprising, and applied brutality without compunction. Banzer ruled the country for the next seven years. As for Torres, he fled the country and settled in Buenos Aires
, Argentina
remaining there even after the March 1976 coup that brought to power General Jorge Videla. In early June 1976 general Torres was kidnapped and assassinated, most likely by right-wing death squads associated with the Videla government but also — it has been argued — with the acquiescence of Hugo Banzer
. His murder was part of Operation Condor
http://docs.tercera.cl/especiales/2001/condor/datos/dato02.htm.
Despite the short duration of his government, Torres's memory is still revered by the poorest strata of Bolivian society. He is remembered as the smiling general who dared to break the norm of what a Bolivian military leader was supposed to be like. His body was eventually repatriated to Bolivia (in 1983), where it received a massively-attended state funeral.
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
n socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
politician and military leader. He served as President of Bolivia
President of Bolivia
The President of Bolivia is head of state and head of government of Bolivia. According to the current Constitution, the president is elected by popular vote to a five year term, renewable once...
from October 7, 1970 to August 21, 1971. He was popularly known as "J.J." (Jota-Jota). Juan José Torres was murdered in 1976 in Buenos Aires, in the frame of Operation Condor
Operation Condor
Operation Condor , was a campaign of political repression involving assassination and intelligence operations officially implemented in 1975 by the right-wing dictatorships of the Southern Cone of South America...
.
Early life
Torres was born in Cochabamba to a poor family of MestizoMestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
heritage with mainly Aymara ancestry and joined the military as a young man, eventually rising to the rank of general. He became the reform-minded dictator Alfredo Ovando's right-hand man and commander of the army when the latter came to power as a result of a coup d'état in September 1969. Torres became one of the more left-leaning officers in the Bolivian military, urging Ovando to enact more far-reaching reforms and to stand up to the more conservative officers. On October 6, 1970, an anti-government coup d'état took place, led by right-wing military commanders. Much blood was shed on the streets of various major cities, with military garrisons fighting each other on behalf of one camp or the other. Eventually, President Ovando sought asylum in a foreign embassy, believing all hope was lost. But the leftist military forces re-asserted themselves under the combative leadership of general Torres, and eventually triumphed. Worn out by 13 grueling months in office, Ovando agreed to leave the presidency in the hands of his friend, general Torres, the hero of the moment. The latter was sworn in and went on to govern the country for 10 difficult and tumultuous months.
Presidency
Though most military leaders throughout Latin American history have been associated with right-wing politicsRight-wing politics
In politics, Right, right-wing and rightist generally refer to support for a hierarchical society justified on the basis of an appeal to natural law or tradition. To varying degrees, the Right rejects the egalitarian objectives of left-wing politics, claiming that the imposition of equality is...
, Torres - like his contemporaries Juan Velasco in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and Omar Torrijos
Omar Torrijos
Omar Efraín Torrijos Herrera was the Commander of the Panamanian and National Guard and the de facto leader of Panama from 1968 to 1981...
in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
- was decidedly left wing. He was known as a man of the people and was popular in some sectors of the Bolivian society. His mestizo and even native-Andean features enhanced his standing with the poorer sectors of society. Despite Torres' best intentions, his marked leftward drift did not stabilize the country. He called an Asamblea del Pueblo, or People's Assembly, in which representatives of specific "proletarian" sectors of society were represented (miners, unionized teachers, students, peasants). The Assembly was imbued with all the powers of a working parliament, even though opponents of the regime tended to call it a gathering of virtual soviets. Torres also allowed the legendary (and Trotskyst-oriented) labor leader, Juan Lechín, to resume his post as head of the Central Obrera Boliviana/Bolivian Workers' Union (COB) and to operate without a single restraint. To his surprise, Lechín proceeded to cripple the government with strikes.
In the end, "J.J." was a victim of the same conundrum that had plagued Ovando: he was seen as leading the country to Communism itself by his enemies on the right, but was essentially mistrusted by those on the left for being a member of the military. To the former, he was going too far and for the latter, not nearly far enough. The Nixon administration may also have played a role in sabotaging the Torres regime and calling for its ouster.
After less than a year in power, Torres was overthrown in a bloody coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
led by the Junta of Commanders of the Armed Forces
Junta of Commanders of the Armed Forces 1971 (Bolivia)
The Junta of Commanders of the Armed Forces was a military junta which ruled Bolivia from August 21, 1971 through August 22, 1971 and consisted of junta chairman Andrés Selich Chop, Hugo Banzer, Jaime Florentino Mendieta...
. Despite massive resistance — both civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
and military — the conservative forces had learned the lessons of the failed October, 1970 uprising, and applied brutality without compunction. Banzer ruled the country for the next seven years. As for Torres, he fled the country and settled in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
remaining there even after the March 1976 coup that brought to power General Jorge Videla. In early June 1976 general Torres was kidnapped and assassinated, most likely by right-wing death squads associated with the Videla government but also — it has been argued — with the acquiescence of Hugo Banzer
Hugo Banzer
Hugo Banzer Suárez was a politician, military general, dictator and President of Bolivia. He held the Bolivian presidency twice: from August 22, 1971 to July 21, 1978, as a dictator; and then again from August 6, 1997 to August 7, 2001, as constitutional President.-Military and ideological...
. His murder was part of Operation Condor
Operation Condor
Operation Condor , was a campaign of political repression involving assassination and intelligence operations officially implemented in 1975 by the right-wing dictatorships of the Southern Cone of South America...
http://docs.tercera.cl/especiales/2001/condor/datos/dato02.htm.
Despite the short duration of his government, Torres's memory is still revered by the poorest strata of Bolivian society. He is remembered as the smiling general who dared to break the norm of what a Bolivian military leader was supposed to be like. His body was eventually repatriated to Bolivia (in 1983), where it received a massively-attended state funeral.