Bolivia

Overview

Bolivia, located in Central South America, is a land filled with culture. One of few countries in the world where the indigenous population still outnumbers the ruling population, cultural equality is certainly an issue always in focus. The most recent population survey estimated the indigenous population at 55 percent, with another 15 percent being European, and 30 percent mixed or mestizo. The largest indigenous group is the Quechua, representing 29 percent of the population, or 2.5 million people. The next largest is the Aymara, representing 24 percent of the population, or 2 million people. The Chiquitano and Guarani peoples each represent about 1 percent of the population (Bureau 2007). More than 500 indigenous communities have been counted in Bolivia, although aside from the ones listed above, none represent more than 0.5 percent of the total population (Bertelsmann 2007). The official languages for Bolivia are Spanish, Quechua, Aymara, and Guarani.

Government and Political History

Bolivia has a very tumultuous political history, ripe with poor leadership and conflict. 1952 marked a large movement when the Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario (MNR) led a revolution after it was denied victory in the 1951 elections. The MNR introduced many political and social reforms that aimed to stabilize the country. They introduced universal adult suffrage, land reforms, promoted rural education, and nationalized the country's largest tin mines.

The MNR ruled for 12 years before a military junta overthrew President Paz Estenssoro. In 1969 the President of the ruling party died, and without leadership the government faltered and the country was plagued by weak leadership until 1971. Upset with the political disorder, the MNR, military, and others installed Col. Hugo Banzer Suarez as President in 1971. The economy prospered under his rule, but he replaced civilians with members of the armed forces for certain governmental positions, and his support faltered with human rights violations and eventual fiscal crises.

He was forced to call elections in 1978, and the country again entered a period of political turmoil, with elections in 1978, 1979, and 1980 all marked by fraud.

In 1980, General Luis Garcia Meza carried out a violent coup, and his government took over. They were notorious for human rights violations, narcotics trafficking, and poor economic management. He was eventually forced out of power by a military rebellion, and he was later convicted for many crimes, including murder.

The political scene was relatively calm after 1985, with democracy coming back into focus. Trouble started again in early 2003 however, with tension between the military and police because of the recent economic recession and tight fiscal situation, and ended in an event that left more than 30 people dead and nearly toppled the current government under Sanchez de Lozada. The government stayed in power, but was very unpopular.

Protests erupted again in late 2003 when people found out about supposed plans to export liquefied natural gas through Chile, when anti-Chilean sentiment was still very