1985 Bolivian general election

General elections were held in Bolivia on 14 July 1985.[1] As no candidate for the presidency received over 50% of the vote, the National Congress was required to elect a President on 4 August. Although Hugo Banzer of Nationalist Democratic Action (ADN) received the most public votes, Congress elected Víctor Paz Estenssoro of the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR).[2]

1985 Bolivian general election

14 July 1985
Turnout81.97% ( 7.7pp)
 
Nominee Hugo Banzer Víctor Paz Estenssoro
Party ADN MNR
Running mate Eudoro Galindo Anze Julio Garret Ayllón
Popular vote 493,735 456,704
Percentage 32.83% 30.36%

 
Nominee Jaime Paz Zamora Roberto Jordán Pando
Party MIR MNRI
Running mate Oscar Eid Franco Marcelo Velarde Ortiz
Popular vote 153,143 82,418
Percentage 10.18% 5.48%

Results by department (left) and province (right)

President before election

Hernán Siles Zuazo
MNRI

Elected President

Víctor Paz Estenssoro
MNR

Campaign

Since 1982, the country had undergone an economic crisis as Bolivia's hyperinflation reached the fourth largest ever recorded in the world. The incumbent President Hernán Siles Zuazo faced little support from Congress and debilitating strikes led by Juan Lechín. Under pressure from Congress, Siles ultimately allowed general elections to be moved forward by one year, thus shortening his own constitutional mandate.[3]

The new elections, set for 14 July 1985, were the first to be held since the country's transition back to democracy in October 1982. The previous elections had been held in 1980 but were annulled by a military coup led by General Luis García Meza. As a result, a total of 18 political parties were on the ballot, the largest amount out of any election in Bolivian history.[4] Former presidents Víctor Paz Estenssoro and Hugo Banzer presented themselves as candidates for the ADN and MNR. For Paz Estenssoro, this was his eighth presidential bid and the fourth since he was last elected in 1964 while this was Banzer's third campaign in a row since 1979.

On 14 December 1984, given the dire situation of the current government, Jaime Paz Zamora resigned his position as Siles' vice president to run for president. As such, the Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR) left its governing alliance with Siles' Leftwing Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNRI) and joined the opposition. Further splintering in the MNRI also saw members of the peasant sector split from the MNR and form the Leftwing Revolutionary Nationalist Movement-1 (MNRI-1). Nevertheless, the MNRI still opted to present Roberto Jordán Pando as their presidential candidate.

Results

The result saw Hugo Banzer of the ADN win the popular vote by 32.83%, 2.8 points ahead of Víctor Paz Estenssoro. The popular vote victory of Hugo Banzer was a testament to the gradual erosion of popularity of the opposition as well as to Paz Estenssoro's continued inability to win a majority of voters (since 1978 he had consistently reached either second or third place). Discontent with the economic management of the left-wing and constant strikes from trade unions (traditionally affiliated with the left) produced a rightward shift in the electorate.

Paz Zamora's position in third place at 10.18% was notable as it established his party as one of the three top political forces in the country and validated the MIR's decision to split with the MNRI. For the MNRI, the result was catastrophic. At just 5.48%, the incumbent was relegated to a minor political party. For the remaining 14 minor parties, the results demonstrated that regardless of the amount of candidates, the population would mostly vote on only three to four viable parties leaving the rest with little political power.[4]

Party Presidential candidate Votes % Seats
Chamber +/– Senate +/–
Nationalist Democratic ActionHugo Banzer493,73532.841+1710+4
Revolutionary Nationalist MovementVíctor Paz Estenssoro456,70430.44316
Revolutionary Left MovementJaime Paz Zamora153,14310.2151
Leftwing Revolutionary Nationalist MovementRoberto Jordán Pando82,4185.580
Revolutionary Nationalist Movement-VanguardCarlos Serrate Reich72,1974.86New0New
Socialist Party-1Ramiro Velasco Romero38,7862.55–50–1
United People's FrontAntonio Araníbar Quiroga38,1242.540
Revolutionary Liberation Movement Tupac KatariJenaro Flores Santos31,6782.12New0New
Christian Democratic PartyLuis Ossio24,0791.630
Bolivian Socialist FalangeDavid Añez Pedraza19,9851.33000
Tupac Katari Revolutionary MovementMacabeo Chila Prieto16,2691.10New0New
Revolutionary Workers' PartyGuillermo Lora13,7120.90New0New
Popular Civic ActionRaúl Catacora Cordova12,9180.90New0New
Leftwing Revolutionary Nationalist Movement – 1Francisco Figueroa11,6960.800
United LeftIsaac Sandoval Rodríguez10,8920.70New0New
Progressive National ForceLuis Fernando Mostajo9,6350.60New0New
Revolutionary Humanist ActionJuan Santa Cruz9,4200.60New0-
National Renewal AllianceHumberto Cayoja Riart8,6650.60New0New
Invalid/blank votes224,309
Total1,728,3651001300270
Registered votes/turnout2,108,45882.0
Source: Nohlen

By department

Department ADN MNR MIR Others
Beni 37.44% 38.71% 6.34% 17.51%
Chuquisaca 21.37% 25.39% 21.90% 31.34%
Cochabamba 34.26% 31.00% 11.51% 23.22%
La Paz 36.39% 19.57% 9.12% 34.92%
Oruro 28.33% 28.86% 12.05% 30.76%
Pando 33.30% 45.96% 4.43% 16.31%
Potosi 20.88% 33.06% 15.19% 30.87%
Santa Cruz 38.60% 42.77% 5.57% 13.06%
Tarija 24.13% 52.81% 6.65% 16.41%
Source: Constituency-Level Election Archive

Congressional ballot

Only Hugo Banzer of the ADN and Víctor Paz Estenssoro of the MNR contested the 4 August Congressional ballot. Whilst Banzer was only supported by his own party, Paz also received the votes of the Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR), the Leftwing Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNRI), the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement-Vanguard (MNRV), the Christian Democratic Party (PDC) and the Revolutionary Liberation Movement Tupaq Katari (MRTK). Socialist Party-1 (PS-1), the Bolivian Socialist Falange (FSB) and the United People's Front (FPU) did not support either candidate.[5] Víctor Paz Estenssoro, at age 78, became the oldest president in Bolivian history.

Party Presidential candidate Votes %
Revolutionary Nationalist Movement Víctor Paz Estenssoro 94 59.87
Nationalist Democratic Action Hugo Banzer 51 32.48
Abstained 12 7.64
Total 157 100
Source: Morales

See also

References

  1. Nohlen, D (2005) Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume II, p133 ISBN 978-0-19-928358-3
  2. Nohlen, p158
  3. Valenzuela, Arturo (2004-10-13). "Latin American Presidencies Interrupted". Journal of Democracy. 15 (4): 5–19. doi:10.1353/jod.2004.0075. ISSN 1086-3214.
  4. Gisbert, pp. 167
  5. Walter Q Morales (2003) A brief history of Bolivia New York: Facts On File, p205

Bibliography

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