Bolivia: History

Pre-20th-Century History

Civilization in the Bolivian Andes is thought to stretch back some 21,000 years. The most influential Pre-Columbian cultures were the Tiahuanaco, who were based around Lake Titicaca and who ruled the region between AD 600-1200, and the Incas, who headed a vast empire comprising most of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and northern Chile.

The Spanish conquest of the country began in 1531 under Francisco Pizarro. The conquistadors made rapid progress, exploiting the trust (and later the disunity) of the Indians to secure the territory that within two years became known as Alto Peru. In 1544, deposits of silver were discovered at Potosí. The wealth generated by this find underwrote the Spanish economy (and the extravagance of its monarchs) for more than two centuries. However, conditions for the mine workers were appalling, with most of the enslaved Indians and Africans dying within a few years of working there.

The spur toward achieving independence from the inefficient Spanish colonial administration finally came in the form of Simón Bolívar's lieutenant Antonio José de Sucre, who waged the Battle of Ayacucho in 1824. Bolivia was formally declared a republic the following year.

Bolivia's territory had always been coveted by its neighbors, encompassing as it did over 2 million sq km (780,000 sq mi). Chile's desire for more land first bore fruit in the War of the Pacific, which it fought with Bolivia between 1879 and 1884. Chile triumphed, securing 850km (527mi) of coastline and robbing Bolivia of the port of Antofagasta, leaving the country landlocked. Soon after, Peru, Brazil and Argentina also began hacking away at Bolivia's borders.

Modern History

In 1932, a border dispute with Paraguay over oil deposits in the Chaco region futher stripped Bolivia of land. The ensuing Chaco War (1932-35) served to foment civil unrest within the country, promulgating reformist associations and leading to a series of coups by reform-minded military leaders.

Perhaps the most significant development during this time was the formation of the populist Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario (MNR). In 1951, the MNR, under the leadership of Víctor Paz Estenssoro, prevailed in the general elections but was stymied by a last-minute coup. This provoked a popular armed revolt which became known as the April Revolution of 1952. The military was subsequently defeated and Paz Estenssoro was brought back.

In 1964, a military junta headed by General René Barrientos overthrew the MNR. A long period of instability followed, characterized by constantly changing regimes and a brief moment in the world spotlight when Ernesto 'Che' Guevara mounted an unsuccessful rebellion in 1966-67. This period ended with the election of the leftist civilian Movimiento de la Izquierda Revolucionaria (MIR), under Dr Hernán Siles Zuazo, in 1982. Three years later, Zuazo was defeated by the long-lived Paz Estenssoro, who immediately sought to curb the stratospheric inflation levels (at one point reaching 35,000% annually) and implemented austerity measures.

Recent History

Since the election of Bolivia's first indigenous president, Evo Morales, in December 2005, whirlwind changes occur on a daily basis. In July 2006, voters elected the National Constituent Assembly to rewrite the country's constitution. As of November 2006, the country was in an uproar over whether changes to the constitution should be decided via a simple majority or a two-thirds vote.

Many middle- and upper-class Bolivians are wary of Morales, his anticapitalist stance and socialist ideologies, and critical about the inexperience of his ministers. However, his demand for indigenous equality after centuries of domination by Spanish descendants is very popular. Most Bolivians are giving Morales a chance, at least until the outcome of the Constituent Assembly in 2007.

Internally, Morales is fending off demands by the Santa Cruz department for autonomy. At the time of writing, furthermore, 16 miners had been killed after rival mining groups fought over concession rights. And Chile is still not forgiven for having usurped Bolivia's ocean access. On a positive note, in 2005 the IMF agreed to write off Bolivia's debt of 120 million US dollars. Cultural revolution or impending civil war? As the Bolivians themselves say, vamos a ver (let's see)...

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