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Cabinet of Gualberto Villarroel

Gualberto Villarroel assumed office as the 39th President of Bolivia on 20 December 1943, and his term was violently cut short by his death on 21 July 1946. A colonel during the Chaco War, Villarroel and the Reason for the Fatherland (RADEPA) military lodge joined the fledgling Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR) to overthrow President Enrique Peñaranda in a coup d'état.

Villarroel cabinet

108th–111th Cabinet of the Republic of Bolivia
1943–1946
Gualberto Villarroel
Date formed20 December 1943 (1943-12-20)
Date dissolved21 July 1946 (1946-07-21)
People and organisations
PresidentGualberto Villarroel
Vice PresidentNone (1943–1945)
Julián Montellano
No. of ministers9 (on 21 July 1946)
Total no. of members20 (including former members)
Member partiesRevolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR)
Independent Socialist Party (PSI)
Status in legislatureMajority government
History
Legislature term1944–1946
PredecessorCabinet of Enrique Peñaranda
SuccessorCabinet of Néstor Guillén (interim)
Minister of Finance Víctor Paz Estenssoro, leader of the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR)
Secretary-General Augusto Céspedes, a noted MNR diplomat and journalist
Foreign Minister Enrique Baldivieso served in the position twice prior

Villarroel formed four cabinets during his 31-month presidency, constituting the 108th to 111th national cabinets of Bolivia. A fifth cabinet was announced on 20 July 1946 but the events of 21 July which resulted in the deposition of the government halted that cabinet from entering office.

Cabinet Ministers

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Cabinet of Bolivia
Presidency of Gualberto Villarroel, 1943–1946
Office Minister Party Prof. Term Days N.C[a] P.C[b]
President Gualberto Villarroel RADEPA Mil. 20 December 1943 – 21 July 1946 944 – –
Vice President Office blank 20 December 1943 – 24 November 1945[c]
Julián Montellano MNR Law. 6 November 1945 – 21 July 1946 257 – –
Secretary-General of the Junta Augusto Céspedes MNR Jrnl. 20 December 1943 – 11 February 1944 53 108 1
Wálter Guevara MNR Law. 11 February 1944 – 5 April 1944 54
Junta dissolved on 5 April 1944
Minister of Foreign Affairs
and Worship
(Chancellor) 		José Tamayo Solares[1] PSI Law. 20 December 1943 – 16 March 1944 87 108 1
Enrique Baldivieso[2] PSI Law. 16 March 1944 – 8 August 1944 145 109 2
Víctor Andrade Uzquiano[3] Ind. Law. 8 August 1944 – 31 December 1944 145 110 3
Gustavo Chacón[4] Ind. Law. 31 December 1944 – 21 July 1946 567 111 4
Minister of Government, Justice,
and Immigration 		Alberto Taborga[5] RADEPA Mil. 20 December 1943 – 11 February 1944 53 108 1
Alfredo Pacheco RADEPA Mil. 11 February 1944 – 8 August 1944 179
109 2
Alfonso Quinteros RADEPA Mil. 8 August 1944 – 31 December 1944 145 110 3
Edmundo Nogales Ortiz RADEPA Mil. 31 December 1944 – 21 July 1946 567 111 4
Minister of National Defense José Celestino Pinto[d] RADEPA Mil. 20 December 1943 – 21 July 1946 944 108 1
109 2
110 3
111 4
Ángel Rodríguez[e] RADEPA Mil. 21 July 1946 – 21 July 1946 <1 – 5
Minister of Finance and Statistics Víctor Paz Estenssoro MNR Law. 20 December 1943 – 5 April 1944 107 108 1
Jorge Zarco Kramer – Law. 5 April 1944 – 31 December 1944 270 109 2
110 3
Víctor Paz Estenssoro MNR Law. 31 December 1944 – 21 July 1946 567 111 4
Minister of Economy Gustavo Chacón Ind. Law. 20 December 1943 – 31 December 1944 377 108 1
109 2
110 3
Office vacant 31 December 1944 – 21 July 1946 111 4
Minister of Public Works
and Communications 		Antonio Ponce RADEPA Mil. 20 December 1943 – 21 July 1946 944 108 1
109 2
110 3
111 4
Minister of Work
and Social Security 		Minister of
Hygiene 		Víctor Andrade Uzquiano Ind. Law. 20 December 1943 – 8 August 1944 232 108 1
109 2
Minister of
Health 		Remberto Capriles – – 8 August 1944 – 31 December 1944 145 110 3
Germán Monroy Block MNR Law. 31 December 1944 – 21 July 1946 567 111 4
Minister of Education, Fine Arts,
and Indigenous Affairs 		Jorge Calero[f] RADEPA Mil. 20 December 1943 – 21 July 1946 944 108 1
109 2
110 3
111 4
Minister of Agriculture, Livestock,
and Colonization 		Carlos Montenegro MNR Law. 20 December 1943 – 11 February 1944 53 108 1
Rafael Otazo MNR – 11 February 1944 – 5 April 1944 54
Edmundo Nogales Ortiz RADEPA Mil. 5 April 1944 – 31 December 1944 270 109 2
110 3
Julio Zuazo Cuenca MNR – 31 December 1944 – 21 July 1946 567 111 4

Composition

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First cabinet

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See also: Government Junta of Bolivia (1943–1944)

On 20 December 1943, members of the RADEPA young officers clique, in conjunction with MNR militants, overthrew the conservative government of President Enrique Peñaranda. A military junta was subsequently formed which comprised the first Villarroel ministerial cabinet. The junta was a mixture of military officers led by Colonel Gulaberto Villarroel as de facto President of the Republic and MNR politicians led by Minister of Finance Víctor Paz Estenssoro with Augusto Céspedes as secretary-general.[7]

The new government faced opposition and lack of recognition from the United States.[8] The distrust came as a result of U.S. participation in World War II and the erroneous belief (sparked by President Peñaranda in order to persecute political opponents)[9] that the MNR was pro-Nazi and pro-Axis. Attempts to placate the U.S. led to the removal of top MNR ministers Augusto Céspedes and Carlos Montenegro, as well as Alberto Taborga on 11 February 1944 but the U.S. maintained its rigid stance so long as the MNR remained in government.[10] Ultimately, the Villarroel government acquiesced and all remaining MNR ministers, including Paz Estenssoro, were removed on 5 April 1944. The removal of Wálter Guevara, who had succeeded Céspedes as Secretary-General of the Junta, brought an end to the military junta and the first Villarroel cabinet.[11]

Second, third, and fourth cabinets

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The second Villarroel cabinet was subsequently formed with "no MNR official in any position of prominence in Bolivia." This finally resulted in the U.S. recognizing the Villarroel regime in May 1944.[12]

 
The last photo taken of Gualberto Villarroel presenting his new cabinet, 20 July 1946

A third ministerial cabinet was formed upon the resignation of three senior ministers on 8 August 1944.[13] On 31 December 1944, with U.S.-Bolivia tensions cooled, the Villarroel administration once again invited the MNR into ministerial positions, with Paz Estenssoro returning to his position as Finance Minister. Thus was formed the fourth Villarroel cabinet. At 567 days, this was the longest lasting cabinet of the Villarroel presidency.

1945 saw the return of the office of the Vice Presidency. The position had been abolished by the government of Carlos Quintanilla on 4 December 1939 but was re-added with the promulgation of the new Political Constitution of 24 November 1945.[14][15] By that point, Julián Montellano of the MNR had already been proclaimed vice president on 3 November and inaugurated on 6 November.[16] Though the office would be vacant during long periods of time from the 1960s to the 1980s, it would never again be abolished.

Fifth cabinet (never took office)

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By July 1946, Villarroel's government had lost its popularity due to the harsh repressions of the opposition and voices critical of the government. These tensions peaked when a tripartite group of workers, students, and teachers threatened to strike if wages were not raised and the MNR stayed in government.[17] The situation spiralled out of control when the MNR Minister of Agriculture Julio Zuazo Cuenca was among a group of government officials who drunkenly smashed the windows of the Higher University of San Andrés. Attempting to deescalate the situation, President Villarroel demanded the resignation of Zuazo on 19 July. Eventually, a fifth all-military cabinet was announced on 20 July without a single holdover from the previous cabinet which presented its resignation at 7 p.m.[17][18] General Ángel Rodríguez was named Minister of Defense, announcing a halt on the military's order to fire on protesters. Despite these efforts, the new cabinet would never take office as President Villarroel would be overthrown and lynched the following day, bringing an end to his government.

Analysis

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The administration of Gualberto Villarroel saw the definitive end of Military Socialism leading government. The concept, conceived by President David Toro and continued by President Germán Busch, had been an inspiration for the policies of RADEPA and Villarroel. Villarroel's cabinets would feature several ministers who would go on to become influential political figures in the MNR, not least of which being Finance Minister Víctor Paz Estenssoro who would go on to win the presidency a total of four times in 1951, 1960, 1964, and 1985. His party, the MNR, and its splinter groups would dominate Bolivian democratic politics from the 1952 National Revolution up until its fall from grace in 2003. Other MNR ministers in the Villarroel cabinet included Wálter Guevara, a distinguished statesman and diplomat who would serve as interim president in 1979, and Augusto Céspedes, a notable writer, journalist, and diplomat.

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Denoting which national cabinet the minister was originally a part of.
  2. ^ Denoting which presidential cabinet the minister was originally a part of.
  3. ^ On 3 November 1945, Julián Montellano would be proclaimed Vice President of the Republic and inaugurated on 6 November. However, the office of Vice President would remain officially abolished until the promulgation of a new constitution on 24 November.
  4. ^ Acting Foreign Minister in the absence of Gustavo Chacón from 19 October 1945 to 27 May 1946.[6]
  5. ^ Appointed but never officially constituted.
  6. ^ Acting Foreign Minister in the absence of Gustavo Chacón from 27 May to 21 July 1946.[6]

References

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  1. ^ "canciller". 2 February 2016. Archived from the original on 2 February 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  2. ^ "canciller". archive.vn. 19 February 2013. Archived from the original on 19 February 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  3. ^ "canciller". archive.vn. 19 February 2013. Archived from the original on 19 February 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  4. ^ "canciller". archive.vn. 19 February 2013. Archived from the original on 19 February 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  5. ^ Lora, Guillermo. "Diccionario Politico, Historico, Cultural (T)" (PDF). {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  6. ^ a b "canciller". 3 January 2016. Archived from the original on 3 January 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  7. ^ "Bolivia: Decreto Ley de 20 de noviembre de 1943". www.lexivox.org. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  8. ^ Blasier, pp. 42
  9. ^ Blasier, pp. 39
  10. ^ "DECRETO LEY No 42 del 11 de Febrero de 1944 » Derechoteca.com". www.derechoteca.com. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  11. ^ "DECRETO LEY No 84 del 05 de Abril de 1944 » Derechoteca.com". www.derechoteca.com. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  12. ^ Blasier, pp. 43
  13. ^ "DECRETO LEY No 177 del 08 de Agosto de 1944 » Derechoteca.com". www.derechoteca.com. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  14. ^ "Bolivia: Decreto Ley de 4 de diciembre de 1939". www.lexivox.org. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  15. ^ "Bolivia: Constitución política de 1945, 24 de noviembre de 1945". www.lexivox.org. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  16. ^ "Bolivia: Ley de 3 de noviembre de 1945". www.lexivox.org. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  17. ^ a b Fulgor.com, El (19 July 2020). "Las últimas horas del Gobierno de Gualberto Villarroel". El Fulgor (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  18. ^ Flack, Joseph (21 July 1946). "Diary of a Successful Revolution" (PDF). The American Foreign Service Journal: 22–26.

Bibliography

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