1997 Bolivian general election

As a result of modifications to the constitution in 1994 and 1995, the minimum age to vote in this election was reduced to eighteen years. An amendment regarding the term of office also entered force meaning that the elected president would serve a 5-year term rather than the previous 4-year term without the possibility of reelection.[3]

Incumbent president Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada chose René Blattmann, minister of justice and human rights, as the MNR's presidential candidate. Blattmann's reformations to the judicial system had gained him great popularity among the population with him holding a 34% electoral preference to Hugo Banzer's 14% upon the announcement of his candidacy in December 1996. However, René Blattmann surprisingly renounced his candidacy at the end of January 1997. Juan Carlos Durán became the new MNR candidate but the damage to the party's electoral campaign was irreversible.[4]

Hugo Banzer, who had ran in the past five elections, had stated in 1993 that he would not present himself again as a candidate. Nevertheless, Banzer announced his 1997 candidacy anyway. Former president Jaime Paz Zamora of the MIR also announced his intention to seek a second term.[4]

The "neo-populist" Max Fernández of the UCS and Carlos Palenque of CONDEPA had seen their parties' best performances in 1993. However, the premature death of both leaders hurt their parties' chances of winning. Jhonny Fernández, Max Fernández's son, was not yet of legal age to run leading the UCS to present as their candidate Ivo Kuljis Fuchner. Interestingly, Fuchner had been Carlos Palenque's CONDEPA running mate in 1993. CONDEPA, in turn, presented Remedios Loza, the first female presidential candidate in Bolivia history. The fact that Loza was Aymara won her some support among Bolivia's marginalized indigenous population.[5]

Economic and social issues dominated the campaign, with all major parties promising to continue the free market policies implemented by outgoing President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada. Whilst Juan Carlos Durán emphasised the free market reforms, Hugo Banzer promised to improve the lives of the indigenous population.[2]

Ultimately, the divided electoral field and the woes of the MNR resulted in Hugo Banzer claiming a narrow plurality vote victory of 22.26%, the lowest margin of victory for any presidential candidate in Bolivian history.

Party		Presidential candidate	Votes	%	Chamber		Senate
					Seats	+/–	Seats	+/–
	ADN–PDC–NFR	Hugo Banzer	484,705	22.26	32	–	11	–
	Revolutionary Nationalist Movement	Juan Carlos Durán	396,235	18.20	26	–26	4	–13
	Conscience of Fatherland	Remedios Loza	373,528	17.16	19	+6	3	+2
	Revolutionary Left Movement	Jaime Paz Zamora	365,005	16.77	23	–	7	–
	Solidarity Civic Unity	Ivo Kuljis Fuchner	350,728	16.11	21	+1	2	+1
	United Left	Alejo Véliz	80,806	3.71	4	+4	0	0
	Free Bolivia Movement	Miguel Urioste Fernández	67,244	3.09	5	–2	0	0
	Bolivian Socialist Vanguard	Jerjes Justiniano Talavera	30,212	1.39	0	New	0	New
	Patriotic Convergence Axis	Ramiro Barrenechea	18,327	0.84	0	New	0	New
	Bolivian Democratic Party	Eudoro Galindo Anze	10,381	0.48	0	New	0	New
Invalid/blank votes	143,946	–	–	–	–	–
Total	2,321,117	100	130	0	27	0
Registered voters/turnout	3,252,791	71.36	–	–	–	–
Source: Nohlen

• Bolivian National Congress, 1997–2002

• Gisbert, Carlos D. Mesa (2003). Presidentes de Bolivia: entre urnas y fusiles : el poder ejecutivo, los ministros de estado (in Spanish). Editorial Gisbert.