Republican Socialist Unity Party
Encyclopedia
The Republican Socialist Unity Party (Spanish
: Partido de la Unión Republicana Socialista, PURS) was a political party
founded on 10 November, 1946 in Bolivia
as the fusion of the Republican Socialist Party, the Genuine Republican Party
, the United Socialist Party
, and the Independent Socialist Party
.
The PURS was a last-ditch effort of Bolivia's traditional political establishment to oppose the forces of mass-based populism and of socialism. Led by Enrique Hertzog Garaizabal
, Francisco Lazcano Soruca, Waldo Belmonte Pool, and Mamerto Urriolagoitía Harriague
, the Republican Socialist Unity Party attempted particularly to revive the position and popularity of the old Saavedristas wing of the Republican Party
. PURS’s doctrines were conservative, favoring anticommunism, ample room for free enterprise
, and antifascism, primarily interpreted as opposition to the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement
.
The Republican Socialist Unity Party participated in the 1947 and 1951 general elections. Enrique Hertzog Garaizabal
was elected President of the Republic in 1947, with Mamerto Urriolagoitía Harriague
as his Vice-President; and the latter succeeded to the presidency when Enrique Hertzog
resigned because of ill health.
In the 1951 elections, Gabriel Gosalvez ran for the PURS but received far fewer votes than the winner.
PURS supported the military takeover which followed the elections, in order to prevent Víctor Paz Estenssoro
from becoming President on the basis of his popular plurality.
Following the 1952 revolution, the PURS became inactive, although in formal terms it continued to exist through the early 1970s.
For the 1966 elections, the PURS was the component of the Democratic Institutionalist Alliance
, with Enrique Hertzog Garaizabal
as the coalition's presidential candidate. He polled 11,400 votes (01.13%) and came sixth.
In 1978 PURS allied with the Nationalist Union of the People
and its candidate Juan Pereda
.
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
: Partido de la Unión Republicana Socialista, PURS) was a political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
founded on 10 November, 1946 in Bolivia
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...
as the fusion of the Republican Socialist Party, the Genuine Republican Party
Genuine Republican Party
The Genuine Republican Party or "Escalieristas" was founded in Bolivia in 1921 by José María Escalier and Daniel Domingo Salamanca Urey following a split in the Republican Party....
, the United Socialist Party
United Socialist Party (Bolivia)
The United Socialist Party was founded on 15 march, 1936, as the result of a split in the Nationalist Party in 1936 and the adhesion of some prominent members of the Republican Socialist Party in 1937, and backed by Legion of Veterans and by the regional socialist groups.The leaders of the party...
, and the Independent Socialist Party
Independent Socialist Party (1944)
The Independent Socialist Party was founded in 1944 by Enrique Baldivieso, José Tamayo, Fernando Campero Álvarez and Augusto Guzmán, former leaders of the United Socialist Party....
.
The PURS was a last-ditch effort of Bolivia's traditional political establishment to oppose the forces of mass-based populism and of socialism. Led by Enrique Hertzog Garaizabal
Enrique Hertzog
Enrique Hertzog Garaizabal was a Bolivian politician who was elected President of his country in 1947...
, Francisco Lazcano Soruca, Waldo Belmonte Pool, and Mamerto Urriolagoitía Harriague
Mamerto Urriolagoitia
Mamerto Urriolagoitía Harriague was President of Bolivia, from 1949 to 1951. Of privileged background, he studied in France and later joined the Bolivian diplomatic service. In 1947, Urriolagoitia was elected Vice-President to Dr...
, the Republican Socialist Unity Party attempted particularly to revive the position and popularity of the old Saavedristas wing of the Republican Party
Republican Party (Bolivia)
The Republican Party was a Bolivian political party founded in 1914.In 1914, the Liberal Party split and its leading intellectuals and statesmen – Bautista Saavedra Mallea, Daniel Domingo Salamanca Urey, José María Escalier and General José Manuel Pando – created the Republican Party.Platform of...
. PURS’s doctrines were conservative, favoring anticommunism, ample room for free enterprise
Free enterprise
-Transport:* Free Enterprise I, a ferry in service with European Ferries between 1962 and 1980.* Free Enterprise II, a ferry in service with European Ferries between 1965 and 1982....
, and antifascism, primarily interpreted as opposition to the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement
Revolutionary Nationalist Movement
The Revolutionary Nationalist Movement is a Bolivian political party, perhaps the most important in the country during the 20th century. At the legislative elections in 2002, the party won, in an alliance with the Free Bolivia Movement, 26.9% of the popular vote and 36 out of 130 seats in the...
.
The Republican Socialist Unity Party participated in the 1947 and 1951 general elections. Enrique Hertzog Garaizabal
Enrique Hertzog
Enrique Hertzog Garaizabal was a Bolivian politician who was elected President of his country in 1947...
was elected President of the Republic in 1947, with Mamerto Urriolagoitía Harriague
Mamerto Urriolagoitia
Mamerto Urriolagoitía Harriague was President of Bolivia, from 1949 to 1951. Of privileged background, he studied in France and later joined the Bolivian diplomatic service. In 1947, Urriolagoitia was elected Vice-President to Dr...
as his Vice-President; and the latter succeeded to the presidency when Enrique Hertzog
Enrique Hertzog
Enrique Hertzog Garaizabal was a Bolivian politician who was elected President of his country in 1947...
resigned because of ill health.
In the 1951 elections, Gabriel Gosalvez ran for the PURS but received far fewer votes than the winner.
PURS supported the military takeover which followed the elections, in order to prevent Víctor Paz Estenssoro
Víctor Paz Estenssoro
Ángel Víctor Paz Estenssoro was a politician and president of Bolivia. He ran for president 8 times , winning in 1951, 1960, 1964, and 1985....
from becoming President on the basis of his popular plurality.
Following the 1952 revolution, the PURS became inactive, although in formal terms it continued to exist through the early 1970s.
For the 1966 elections, the PURS was the component of the Democratic Institutionalist Alliance
Democratic Institutionalist Alliance
The Democratic Institutionalist Alliance was an electoral political alliance of the Liberal Party and the Republican Socialist Unity Party ....
, with Enrique Hertzog Garaizabal
Enrique Hertzog
Enrique Hertzog Garaizabal was a Bolivian politician who was elected President of his country in 1947...
as the coalition's presidential candidate. He polled 11,400 votes (01.13%) and came sixth.
In 1978 PURS allied with the Nationalist Union of the People
Nationalist Union of the People
The Nationalist Union of the People was a right-wing, pro-military electoral political alliance in Bolivia.The UNP was formed in January 1978 by...
and its candidate Juan Pereda
Juan Pereda
Juan Pereda Asbún is a former military general and de facto president of Bolivia . Although he ruled for only four months, his ascent to the presidency marked the beginning of the most unstable period in Bolivian history, with nine presidents in a little over 4 years , in comparison to only one in...
.