Government of Gualberto Villarroel, 1943–46

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 Patzi as Secretary General.[5]

The new government faced opposition and lack of recognition from the United States.[6] 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)[7] 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.[8]

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.[9] 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.[10]

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.[11] 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 readded with the promulgation of the new Political Constitution of 24 November 1945.[12][13] By that point, Julián Montellano of the MNR had already been proclaimed Vice President on 3 November and inaugurated on 6 November.[14] Though the office would be vacant during long periods of time from the 1960s to the 1980s, it would never again be abolished.

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.[15] 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.[15][16] 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.