President of Bolivia

President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia Presidente del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia
Coat of arms of Bolivia
Incumbent Evo Morales since 22 January 2006
Residence	Palacio Quemado
Appointer	Direct popular election
Term length	Five years, renewable once
Inaugural holder	Simón Bolívar
Formation	11 August 1825
Website	www.presidencia.gob.bo

The President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia (Spanish: Presidente del Estado Plurinacional de Bolivia) or President of Bolivia (Spanish: Presidente de Bolivia), is head of state and head of government of Bolivia. According to the current Constitution, the president is elected by popular vote to a five-year term, renewable once.^[1] Since 2009, if no candidate wins a majority, the top two candidates advance to a runoff election. Prior to 2009, if no candidate won half the popular vote, the president was chosen by a vote in a joint legislative session from among the top two candidates (prior to 1995, the top three candidates were eligible).

The current President of Bolivia is Evo Morales, since 22 January 2006. He was elected in 2005, and reelected in 2009 and again in 2014. On October 17, 2015, Morales surpassed Andrés de Santa Cruz's nine years, eight months, and twenty-four days in office to become the president with the longest unbroken term in office.^[2] Víctor Paz Estenssoro is the longest-serving president with just over 12 years in office, but these terms were nonconsecutive.

History

During its more than 191 years of independence, Bolivia has been ruled by the military leaders who fought for independence, the leaders of the War of the Pacific, representatives of the aristocracy, and democratically-elected leaders. Also, the history of the presidency has involved civil wars, more than 190 coups and violence.

Different titles have been used, such as "Liberator of Bolivia" (used by Simón Bolívar and Antonio José de Sucre), and "Supreme Protector" (by Andrés de Santa Cruz).

The following table contains a list of the individuals who have served as President of Bolivia.

List of Presidents of Bolivia

No.	Picture	Name (Birth–Death)	Began office	Left office	Party	Title(s)
1		Simón Bolívar (1783–1830)	11 August 1825	29 December 1825	Independent	Liberator of Bolivia
2		Antonio José de Sucre (1795–1830)	29 December 1825	18 April 1828	Independent	Liberator of Bolivia (29 December 1825 – 19 June 1826) President (19 June 1826 – 18 April 1828)
3		José María Pérez de Urdininea (1784–1865)	18 April 1828	2 August 1828	Independent	President
4		José Miguel de Velasco Franco (1795–1859)	2 August 1828	18 December 1828	Independent	Acting President
5		Pedro Blanco Soto (1795–1829)	18 December 1828	1 January 1829	Independent	Provisional President
6		José Miguel de Velasco Franco (1795–1859)	1 January 1829	24 May 1829	Independent	Acting President
7		Andrés de Santa Cruz (1792–1865)	24 May 1829	20 February 1839	Independent	Provisional President (29 May 1829 – 15 August 1831) President (15 August 1831 – 20 February 1839) Supreme Protector of the Peru–Bolivian Confederation (28 October 1836 – 20 February 1839)
8		José Miguel de Velasco Franco (1795–1859)	20 February 1839	10 June 1841	Independent	Provisional Supreme Chief (20 February 1839 – 16 June 1839) Provisional President (16 June 1839 – 15 August 1840) President (15 August 1840 – 10 June 1841)
9		Sebastián Ágreda (1795–1875)	10 June 1841	9 July 1841	Independent	Provisional Chief
10		Mariano Calvo (1782–1842)	9 July 1841	22 September 1841	Independent	Acting President
11		José Ballivián (1805–1852)	22 September 1841	23 December 1847	Independent	Provisional President (22 September 1841 – 15 August 1844) President (15 August 1844 – 23 December 1847)
12		Eusebio Guilarte Vera (1805–1849)	23 December 1847	2 January 1848	Independent	Interim President
13		José Miguel de Velasco Franco (1795–1859)	18 January 1848	6 December 1848	Independent	Provisional President
14		Manuel Isidoro Belzu (1808–1865)	6 December 1848	15 August 1855	Independent	Provisional President (6 December 1848 – 15 August 1850) President (15 August 1850 – 15 August 1855)
15		Jorge Córdova (1808–1865)	15 August 1855	21 October 1857	Independent	President
16		José María Linares (1822–1861)	21 October 1857	14 January 1861	Independent	Provisional President (21 October 1857 – 1858) Dictator for Life (1858 – 14 January 1861)
		Government Junta	14 January 1861	4 May 1861	Independent	Members: Ruperto Fernández José María Achá Manuel Antonio Sánchez (to 9 April 1861)
17		José María Achá (1810–1868)	4 May 1861	28 December 1864	Independent	Provisional President (4 May 1861 – 15 August 1862) President (15 August 1862 – 28 December 1864)
18		Mariano Melgarejo (1820–1871)	28 December 1864	15 January 1871	Independent	Provisional President (28 December 1864 – 15 August 1870) President (15 August 1870 – 15 January 1871)
19		Agustín Morales (1808–1872)	15 January 1871	27 November 1872	Independent	Supreme Chief of the Revolution (15 January 1871 – 21 January 1871) Provisional President (21 January 1871 – 25 August 1872) President (25 August 1872 – 27 November 1872)
20		Tomás Frías Ametller (1804–1884)	28 November 1872	9 May 1873	Independent	President
21		Adolfo Ballivián (1831–1874)	9 May 1873	14 February 1874	Independent	President
22		Tomás Frías Ametller (1804–1884)	14 February 1874	4 May 1876	Independent	President
23		Hilarión Daza (1840–1894)	4 May 1876	17 April 1879	Independent	President
24		Pedro José Domingo de Guerra (1809–1879)	17 April 1879	10 September 1879	Independent	President
25		Narciso Campero (1813–1896)	19 January 1880	3 September 1884	Conservative Party	President
26		Gregorio Pacheco (1823–1899)	3 September 1884	15 August 1888	Democratic Party	President
27		Aniceto Arce (1824–1906)	15 August 1888	11 August 1892	Conservative Party	President
28		Mariano Baptista (1832–1907)	11 August 1892	19 August 1896	Conservative Party	President
29		Severo Fernández (1849–1925)	19 August 1896	12 April 1899	Conservative Party	President
		Government Junta	12 April 1899	25 October 1899		Members: José Manuel Pando Serapio Reyes Ortiz Macario Pinilla Vargas
30		José Manuel Pando (1849–1917)	25 October 1899	14 August 1904	Liberal Party	President
31		Ismael Montes (1861–1933)	14 August 1904	12 October 1909	Liberal Party	President
32		Eliodoro Villazón (1848–1939)	12 October 1909	14 October 1913	Liberal Party	President
33		Ismael Montes {{small>(1861–1933)}}	14 October 1913	15 October 1917	Liberal Party	President
34		José Gutiérrez Guerra (1869–1929)	15 October 1917	12 July 1920	Liberal Party	President
		Government Junta	13 July 1920	28 January 1921		Members: Bautista Saavedra José María Escalier José Manuel Ramírez
35		Bautista Saavedra (1870–1939)	28 January 1921	3 September 1925	Socialist Republican Party	President
36		Felipe S. Guzmán (1879–1932)	3 September 1925	10 January 1926	Socialist Republican Party	Provisional President
37		Hernando Siles Reyes (1882–1942)	10 January 1926	28 May 1930	Nationalist Party	President
		Council of Ministers	28 May 1930	25 June 1930		Members: Alberto Díez de Medina Germán Antelo Arauz (to 17 June 1930) Franklin Mercado David Toro José Aguirre Achá Fidel Vega Carlos Banzer Ezequiel Romecín Calderón (from 17 June 1930)
38		Carlos Blanco Galindo (1882–1943)	28 June 1930	5 March 1931	Military	Chairman of the Military Government Junta Members: José L. Lanza Filiberto Osorio Bernardino Bilbao Rioja Emilio González Quint José Ayoroa
39		Daniel Salamanca Urey (1869–1935)	5 March 1931	27 November 1934	Genuine Republican Party	President
40		José Luis Tejada Sorzano (1882–1938)	28 November 1934	17 May 1936	Liberal Party	President
41		Germán Busch (1904–1939)	17 May 1936	20 May 1936	Military	Chairman of the Government Junta
42		David Toro (1898–1977)	20 May 1936	13 July 1937	Military	Chairman of the Government Junta
43		Germán Busch (1904–1939)	13 July 1937	23 August 1939	Military	Chairman of the Government Junta (13 July 1937 – 28 May 1938) President (28 May 1938 – 23 August 1939)
44		Carlos Quintanilla (1888–1964)	23 August 1939	15 April 1940	Military	Provisional President
45		Enrique Peñaranda (1892–1969)	15 April 1940	20 December 1943	Concordance	President
46		Gualberto Villarroel (1908–1946)	20 December 1943	21 July 1946	Military	Chairman of the Government Junta (20 December 1943 – 5 April 1944) Provisional President (5 April 1944 – 6 August 1944) President (6 August 1944 – 21 July 1946)
47		Néstor Guillén (1890–1966)	21 July 1946	15 August 1946	Independent	Chairman of the Provisional Government Junta
48		Tomás Monje (1884–1954)	15 August 1946	10 March 1947	Independent	Chairman of the Provisional Government Junta
49		Enrique Hertzog (1896–1980)	10 March 1947	22 October 1949	Republican Socialist Unity Party	President
50		Mamerto Urriolagoitía (1895–1974)	22 October 1949	16 May 1951	Republican Socialist Unity Party	Acting President (22 October 1949 – 24 October 1949) President (24 October 1949 – 16 May 1951)
51		Hugo Ballivián (1901–1993)	16 May 1951	11 April 1952	Military	Chairman of the Military Junta Members: Antonió Seleme Vargas Humberto Torres Ortiz
52		Hernán Siles Zuazo (1914–1996)	11 April 1952	16 April 1952	Revolutionary Nationalist Movement	Provisional President
53		Víctor Paz Estenssoro (1907–2001)	16 April 1952	6 August 1956	Revolutionary Nationalist Movement	President
54		Hernán Siles Zuazo (1914–1996)	6 August 1956	6 August 1960	Revolutionary Nationalist Movement	President
55		Víctor Paz Estenssoro (1907–2001)	6 August 1960	4 November 1964	Revolutionary Nationalist Movement	President
56		René Barrientos (1919–1969)	5 November 1964	26 May 1965	Military	Chairman of the Military Junta
		René Barrientos (1919–1969)	26 May 1965	2 January 1966	Military	Co-Chairmen of the Military Junta
		Alfredo Ovando Candía (1918–1982)
57		Alfredo Ovando Candía (1918–1982)	2 January 1966	6 August 1966	Military	Chairman of the Military Junta
58		René Barrientos (1919–1969)	6 August 1966	27 April 1969	Popular Christian Movement	President
59		Luis Adolfo Siles Salinas (1925–2005)	27 April 1969	26 September 1969	Social Democratic Party	President
60		Alfredo Ovando Candía (1918–1982)	26 September 1969	6 October 1970	Military	President
		Junta of Commanders of the Armed Forces 1970	6 October 1970	7 October 1971	Military	Members: Efraín Guachalla Ibáñez Fernando Sattori Ribera Alberto Albarracín Crespo
61		Juan José Torres (1920–1976)	7 October 1970	21 August 1971	Military	President
		Junta of Commanders of the Armed Forces 1971	21 August 1971	22 August 1971	Military	Members: Andrés Selich Chop Hugo Banzer Jaime Florentino Mendieta Vargas
62		Hugo Banzer (1926–2002)	22 August 1971	21 July 1978	Military	President
		Víctor González Fuentes	21 July 1978	21 July 1978	Military	Chairman of the Military Junta
63		Juan Pereda (1931–2012)	21 July 1978	24 November 1978	Military	President
64		David Padilla (1927–2016)	24 November 1978	8 August 1979	Military	Chairman of the Military Junta
65		Wálter Guevara (1912–1996)	8 August 1979	1 November 1979	Authentic Revolutionary Party	Acting President
66		Alberto Natusch (1933–1994)	1 November 1979	16 November 1979	Military	President
67		Lidia Gueiler Tejada (1921–2011)	16 November 1979	17 July 1980	Revolutionary Left Front	Acting President
		Junta of Commanders of the Armed Forces 1980	17 July 1980	18 July 1981	Military	Members: Luis García Meza Tejada Waldo Bernal Pereira Ramiro Terrazas Rodríguez
68		Luis García Meza Tejada (1929–)	18 July 1980	4 August 1981	Military	President
		Junta of Commanders of the Armed Forces 1981	4 August 1981	4 September 1981	Military	Members: Waldo Bernal Pereira Celso Torrelio Óscar Jaime Pammo
69		Celso Torrelio (1933–1999)	4 September 1981	19 July 1982	Military	President
		Junta of Commanders of the Armed Forces 1982	19 July 1982	21 July 1982	Military	Members: Natalio Morales Mosquera Óscar Jaime Pammo Ángel Mariscal Gómez
70		Guido Vildoso (1937–)	21 July 1982	10 October 1982	Military	President
71		Hernán Siles Zuazo (1914–1996)	10 October 1982	6 August 1985	Democratic and Popular Union	President
72		Víctor Paz Estenssoro (1907–2001)	6 August 1985	6 August 1989	Revolutionary Nationalist Movement	President
73		Jaime Paz Zamora (1939–)	6 August 1989	6 August 1993	Revolutionary Left Movement	President
74		Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada (1930–)	6 August 1993	6 August 1997	Revolutionary Nationalist Movement	President
75		Hugo Banzer (1926–2002)	6 August 1997	7 August 2001	Nationalist Democratic Action	President
76		Jorge Quiroga (1960–)	7 August 2001	6 August 2002	Nationalist Democratic Action	President
77		Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada (1930–)	6 August 2002	17 October 2003	Revolutionary Nationalist Movement	President
78		Carlos Mesa (1953–)	17 October 2003	9 June 2005	Independent	President
79		Eduardo Rodríguez (1956–)	9 June 2005	22 January 2006	Independent	President
80		Evo Morales (1959–)	22 January 2006	Incumbent	Movement for Socialism	President

Historical reputation

In 1983, a poll was taken by the newspaper Última Hora to determine which seven historical presidents were regarded as most significant. The "winners" were Antonio José de Sucre, Andrés de Santa Cruz, Manuel Isidoro Belzu, Mariano Melgarejo, Aniceto Arce, Ismael Montes, and Víctor Paz Estenssoro.

Latest election

Party	Presidential candidate	Votes	%	Seats
				Chamber		Senate
				Seats	+/–	Seats	+/–
Movement for Socialism	Evo Morales	3,173,304	61.36	88	0	25	–1
Democrat Unity	Samuel Doria Medina	1,253,288	24.23	32	–	9	–
Christian Democratic Party	Jorge Quiroga	467,311	9.04	10	–	2	–
Movement without Fear	Juan del Granado	140,285	2.71	0	–4	0	–
Green Party of Bolivia	Fernando Vargas	137,240	2.65	0	–	0	–
Invalid/blank votes		316,248	–	–	–	–	–
Total		5,487,676	100	130	0	36	0
Registered voters/turnout		5,971,152	91.90	–	–	–	–
Source: TSE

Presidential succession

In the event of the death or permanent incapacity of the President, the Vice President of Bolivia would assume the office. The President of the Senate and the President of the Chamber of Deputies are third and fourth in the line of succession. In the 2005 political crisis, with all of these positions exhausted, Eduardo Rodríguez Veltzé, the Chief Justice of the Bolivian Supreme Court, assumed the presidency. Under the 2009 Constitution, however, the assumption of power by the President of the Chamber of Deputies automatically precipitates an election within 90 days.^[3]

Acting President

In the case of temporary incapacity or absence from the country, the title of Acting President (Spanish: Presidente en ejercicio) is transferred to lower officials according to the order of presidential succession. In September 2012, Senate President Gabriela Montaño became the first woman to assume this office since the presidency of Lidia Gueiler Tejada.^[4]

See also

• History of Bolivia
• Politics of Bolivia

References

1. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bl.html
2. Quiroga T., José Antonio (2015-10-11). "Andrés de Santa Cruz y Evo Morales". Página Siete. Retrieved 2016-06-23.
3. "Artículo 169: En caso de impedimento o ausencia definitiva de la Presidenta o del Presidente del Estado, será reemplazada o reemplazado en el cargo por la Vicepresidenta o el Vicepresidente y, a falta de ésta o éste, por la Presidenta o el Presidente del Senado, y a falta de ésta o éste por la Presidente o el Presidente de la Cámara de Diputados. En este último caso, se convocarán nuevas elecciones en el plazo máximo de noventa días." "Segunda Parte, Título II, Capítulo Primero". Nueva Constitución Política del Estado (PDF). pp. 36–37. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
4. Corz, Carlos (23 September 2012). "Montaño asume la Presidencia interina de Bolivia, Evo va a la ONU y hablará del mar". La Razón. Retrieved 24 September 2012.

External links

• (Spanish) Gallery of Presidents of Bolivia