Browse Cases

Showing 1-7 of 7 results

Bolivian President stages hunger strike for economic reform, 1984

Country
Bolivia
Time period
25 October, 1984 to 29 October, 1984
Classification
Defense
Cluster
Democracy
Economic Justice
Total points
0 out of 10 points
Name of researcher, and date dd/mm/yyyy
Susana Medeiros, 19/11/2012

After a two year stalemate following the 1979 and 1980 elections, the Bolivian parliament elected the winner of the 1980 popular vote, Hernán Siles Zuazo, president on 10 October, 1982.

Bolivian president hunger strikes to preserve economic policies, 1956

Country
Bolivia
Time period
28 December, 1956 to 1 January, 1957
Classification
Defense
Cluster
Democracy
Economic Justice
Total points
10 out of 10 points
Name of researcher, and date dd/mm/yyyy
Samantha Shain, 30/09/2012

Hernán Siles Zuazo took office in 1956 during a politically and economically unstable time in Bolivia and throughout Central America. There had been a succession of violent revolutions in the region.  This was Siles’ first time as elected president, although he had previously had a brief stint as acting president while he was vice president.   

Bolivians strike, protest, offer resignations against the President’s economic policy, 1956-1960

Country
Bolivia
Time period
December, 1956 to August, 1960
Classification
Defense
Cluster
Democracy
Economic Justice
Total points
6.5 out of 10 points
Name of researcher, and date dd/mm/yyyy
Soul Han, 30/09/2012

Since the Nationalist Revolutionary Movement Party (MNR) overthrew the military junta in April 1952, Bolivia underwent major reformations in its political and institutional structures and economic policies. Aside from establishing universal suffrage, the government nationalized the tin mine business. It also set up the Mining Corporation of Bolivia (COMIBOL), a semi-governmental company, to take control of the mines. Because the miners made up a large part in the revolution and the tin mine was the most lucrative business in Bolivia, miners were granted great political power.

Bolivians successfully oust military regime, 1982

Country
Bolivia
Time period
1 September, 1982 to 17 September, 1982
Classification
Change
Cluster
Democracy
Total points
9 out of 10 points
Name of researcher, and date dd/mm/yyyy
Rosanna Kim, 23/09/2012

Bolivia’s transition to a democratic government began in 1978 when then military dictator Hugo Banzer Suarez stepped down after international and internal pressure for Bolivia to hold democratic elections. While the Democratic Popular Union (Unidad Democratica y Popular, UDP), led by Hernan Siles Zuazo, won the 1978 elections, Juan Pereda Asbum, Banzer’s chosen successor, launched a military coup and declared the elections invalid.

Bolivian journalists protect freedom of expression, 2010

Country
Bolivia
Time period
September, 2010 to 6 January, 2011
Classification
Defense
Cluster
Democracy
Human Rights
Total points
8 out of 10 points
Name of researcher, and date dd/mm/yyyy
Carmen Smith-Estrada, 25/11/2011

Since taking office in 2005, Bolivian President Evo Morales had an increasingly tenuous relationship with the domestic media. On multiple occasions he accused newspapers of being the mouthpieces of the opposition, particularly if they criticized a state policy. The growing polarization between Morales’ Movement for Socialism Party (MAS) and the opposition parties was often reflected in the “media war” between state-owned news outlets and privately owned companies. Parties on both sides perpetuated the war by threatening journalists across the political spectrum.

Bolivian workers overthrow president, 1983-1985

Country
Bolivia
Time period
February, 1983 to July, 1985
Classification
Change
Cluster
Democracy
Economic Justice
Total points
6 out of 10 points
Name of researcher, and date dd/mm/yyyy
Blaine O'Neill, 12/10/2010

Social protest has played an important role in Bolivia's recent political history. Ever since the national revolution of 1952, civil society has found success in turning to forms of mass participatory direct action for meaningful social change, largely responsible for the removal of unpopular Presidential administrations from office.

Bolivians end foreign-owned water privatization in Cochabamba ‘Water War', 2000

Country
Bolivia
Time period
December 15, 1999 to April 10, 2000
Classification
Defense
Cluster
Democracy
Economic Justice
Environment
Human Rights
Total points
9 out of 10 points
Name of researcher, and date dd/mm/yyyy
Anjali Cadambi 01/11/2010

Throughout the 90s, Bolivia came under increasing pressure from the World Bank to privatize public goods in order to fulfill loan conditionality. In September 1999, in response to this pressure, the Bolivian government auctioned off the municipal water system ‘SEMAPA’ of Cochabamba, a city of 800,000 residents. When the auction drew only one bidder, the government signed water resources over in a 40-year concession to Aguas del Tunari, a foreign-led consortium of private investors dominated by the Bechtel Corporation.