Civil Society, Social Protest, and Presidential Breakdowns in Bolivia

Abstract

On the evening of October 17, 2003, while an aide delivered his resignation letter to Congress, President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada made his way to the Santa Cruz international airport to board a flight into exile. His second presidency had just ended after only fourteen months in office. In early October, Bolivians had mobilized demanding that the president resign. The government’s heavy-handed response to social protest had cost the lives of too many civilians. Vice President Mesa and the president’s political allies in the governing coalition had withdrawn their support. This was neither the first nor the last time a Bolivian president had been forced out of office in this manner. Hernan Siles Zuazo had experienced a similar fate in 1985, as had Carlos Mesa in 2005. This chapter deals with these three presidential breakdowns.

I wish to thank Mariana Llanos and Leiv Marsteintredet for their insightful comments.