Bolivia attains independence from Spain in 1826. Over the next 139 years, the government changes at an incredible average rate of once every nine months, almost never by elections. Decades of coups and other abuses cut a wide swathe of anti-military sentiment across the Bolivian population. In 1952 a rarity occurs—an armed popular revolt defeats the military, displaces the oligarchy, nationalizes the tin mines, institutes land reform, and sets up a new government under the Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario (MNR). The MNR reduces the military to a small, impotent and discredited force, at the same time fostering "people’s militias". Despite the entreaties of certain segments of the left, however, the traditional armed forces are not completely dismantled.

Because of American pressure, in the late 1950s the military begins a slow but certain rejuvenation. Under US guidance, the Bolivian army becomes the first in Latin America to launch a "civil action" program, building roads, schools, etc., designed to improve its image amongst the population. Washington employs its potent economic leverage to spur a distinctly more favorable government towards the military, one which allows the US to "professionalize" the armed forces.

Selected officers are sent to the United States for training … political indoctrination courses for officers given by MNR adherents and academics are allowed to lapse, and are replaced by indoctrination at the US School of the Americas in the Panama Canal Zone … by 1964, some 1,200 Bolivian officers and men have received training either in the United States or Panama, including 20 of the 23 senior Army officers … the military has come a long way towards recouping its former size and efficiency, its prestige and its independence from civilian control.

The School of the Americas "counts so many important Latin officers as alumni … that it is known throughout Latin America as the ‘escuela de golpes’ or coup school". – Washington Post, 2/5/68

"[T] he military organization is perhaps the only institution endowed with the organization, order, discipline, and self-sacrificing attitude towards objectives for the common good … Should politicians and economic institutions fail … then there is a real possibility that the military would move in against graft an corruption in government … [It is] naïve to assume that they might not move to power in a classic sense." – Col. Thomas Cook, American military assistance officer in Bolivia, 1964

Predictably, this process leads (in 1964) to a military coup (under General René Barrientos Ortuño) against the elected government (of Victor Paz Estenssoro). The military junta inflicts a 50 percent cut in salary for tin miners, exiles union leaders, and attacks and routs the miners’ militias.

"Violence in the mining areas and in the cities of Bolivia has continued to occur intermittently, and we are assisting this country to improve the training and equipping of its military forces." – Robert McNamara, US Secretary of Defense, Senate hearings 2/23/66

In 1971, after Barrientos’ death and two short-lived coups resulting in a government seeking to reestablish diplomatic relations with Allende’s democratic socialist Chilean government, Brazilian colonel Hugo Banzer seizes control of the government, using the US Air Force radio system (Washington Post, 8/29/71) and "CIA money, training and advice … liberally given" (San Francisco Chronicle, 10/1/71).

He closes all schools for four months, explaining that they are hotbeds of "political subversive agitation provoked by anarchists opposed to the new international order" -- New York Times, 8/25/71

Within the first two years of the regime, more than 2,000 persons are arrested for political reasons without being brought to trial, "all the fundamental laws protecting human rights were regularly violated", torture is "commonly used on prisoners during interrogation … beaten, raped and forced to undergo simulated executions … hung for hours with their hands tied behind their backs" – New York Times, 12/30/73

By 1975, Catholic religious groups and clergy (including Father Roy Bourgeous of the School of the Americas Watch) begin speaking out in defense of human rights in Bolivia, and are arrested, some deported, some murdered.

"I will observe the constitution whenever it does not conflict with military decrees" – Hugo Banzer, The Guardian (London), 7/15/75

Bolivia attains independence from Spain in 1826. Over the next 139 years, the government changes at an incredible average rate of once every nine months, almost never by elections. Decades of coups and other abuses cut a wide swathe of anti-military sentiment across the Bolivian population. In 1952 a rarity occurs—an armed popular revolt defeats the military, displaces the oligarchy, nationalizes the tin mines, institutes land reform, and sets up a new government under the Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario (MNR). The MNR reduces the military to a small, impotent and discredited force, at the same time fostering "people’s militias". Despite the entreaties of certain segments of the left, however, the traditional armed forces are not completely dismantled.

Because of American pressure, in the late 1950s the military begins a slow but certain rejuvenation. Under US guidance, the Bolivian army becomes the first in Latin America to launch a "civil action" program, building roads, schools, etc., designed to improve its image amongst the population. Washington employs its potent economic leverage to spur a distinctly more favorable government towards the military, one which allows the US to "professionalize" the armed forces.

Selected officers are sent to the United States for training … political indoctrination courses for officers given by MNR adherents and academics are allowed to lapse, and are replaced by indoctrination at the US School of the Americas in the Panama Canal Zone … by 1964, some 1,200 Bolivian officers and men have received training either in the United States or Panama, including 20 of the 23 senior Army officers … the military has come a long way towards recouping its former size and efficiency, its prestige and its independence from civilian control.

The School of the Americas "counts so many important Latin officers as alumni … that it is known throughout Latin America as the ‘escuela de golpes’ or coup school". – Washington Post, 2/5/68

"[T] he military organization is perhaps the only institution endowed with the organization, order, discipline, and self-sacrificing attitude towards objectives for the common good … Should politicians and economic institutions fail … then there is a real possibility that the military would move in against graft an corruption in government … [It is] naïve to assume that they might not move to power in a classic sense." – Col. Thomas Cook, American military assistance officer in Bolivia, 1964

Predictably, this process leads (in 1964) to a military coup (under General René Barrientos Ortuño) against the elected government (of Victor Paz Estenssoro). The military junta inflicts a 50 percent cut in salary for tin miners, exiles union leaders, and attacks and routs the miners’ militias.

"Violence in the mining areas and in the cities of Bolivia has continued to occur intermittently, and we are assisting this country to improve the training and equipping of its military forces." – Robert McNamara, US Secretary of Defense, Senate hearings 2/23/66

In 1971, after Barrientos’ death and two short-lived coups resulting in a government seeking to reestablish diplomatic relations with Allende’s democratic socialist Chilean government, Brazilian colonel Hugo Banzer seizes control of the government, using the US Air Force radio system (Washington Post, 8/29/71) and "CIA money, training and advice … liberally given" (San Francisco Chronicle, 10/1/71).

He closes all schools for four months, explaining that they are hotbeds of "political subversive agitation provoked by anarchists opposed to the new international order" -- New York Times, 8/25/71

Within the first two years of the regime, more than 2,000 persons are arrested for political reasons without being brought to trial, "all the fundamental laws protecting human rights were regularly violated", torture is "commonly used on prisoners during interrogation … beaten, raped and forced to undergo simulated executions … hung for hours with their hands tied behind their backs" – New York Times, 12/30/73

By 1975, Catholic religious groups and clergy (including Father Roy Bourgeous of the School of the Americas Watch) begin speaking out in defense of human rights in Bolivia, and are arrested, some deported, some murdered.

"I will observe the constitution whenever it does not conflict with military decrees" – Hugo Banzer, The Guardian (London), 7/15/75