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Rene Barrientos OrtunoBolivian politician, President of Bolivia from 1964 to 1969.
Date of Birth: 30.05.1919
Country:  Bolivia |
Content:
- René Barrientos: Former President of Bolivia (1964-1969)
- Controversial Presidency
- Allegations of Dictatorship and Foreign Influence
- Untimely Death
René Barrientos: Former President of Bolivia (1964-1969)
Rise to Power and Conservative RuleRené Barrientos, a Bolivian general, seized power in 1964 by overthrowing the government of social reformer Víctor Paz Estenssoro. During his five-year presidency, Barrientos employed military force to suppress any opposition to his conservative regime, including the 1967 rebellion led by Che Guevara.
Controversial Presidency
Barrientos' concentration of power in his own hands led to several controversial incidents. His rule is marked by the "Night of San Juan Massacre" on June 24, 1967, when soldiers opened fire on miners, killing approximately 30 men and women celebrating the festival of Saint John's Day.
Furthermore, in 1968, a major scandal erupted when Barrientos' close associate and then-Interior Minister Antonio Argüedas disappeared with Che Guevara's diaries and resurfaced in Havana. Argüedas later revealed he had been a secret Marxist sympathizer and criticized Barrientos and his associates.
Allegations of Dictatorship and Foreign Influence
As a result of political assassinations and counterinsurgency campaigns, Barrientos became widely regarded as a ruthless dictator serving foreign interests under the guise of democracy. In an attempt to regain the support of Bolivian peasants, he embarked on a tour of the country, bringing his message to even the smallest and most remote villages.
Untimely Death
On April 27, 1969, while flying to Arque in Cochabamba, Barrientos died in a helicopter crash. While there is speculation that the president's helicopter may have been shot down, all investigations have concluded that it was an accident.
