1966 Bolivian general election


General elections were held in Bolivia on 3 July 1966. René Barrientos of the Front of the Bolivian Revolution was elected President with 67% of the vote, whilst the FRB won a majority in both houses of Congress. James Dunkerley describes the election as not free and fair since a major segment of the opposition was excluded from participating.

Background

Following the 1964 elections, Barrientos had led a military coup to remove Víctor Paz Estenssoro from power. In May 1965, Juan Lechín Oquendo, a labor leader who was the head of the left faction of the Nationalist Revolutionary Movement, was arrested and expelled from the country.

Campaign

Several alliances were formed for the elections:
AllianceParties
Christian Democratic CommunityBolivian Socialist Falange
Christian Democratic CommunityDemocratic Revolutionary Alliance
Christian Democratic CommunityNational Association of Democratic Professions
Democratic Institutionalist AllianceLiberal Party
Democratic Institutionalist AllianceRepublican Socialist Unity Party
Front of the Bolivian RevolutionAuthentic Revolutionary Party
Front of the Bolivian RevolutionPopular Christian Movement
Front of the Bolivian RevolutionSocial Democratic Party
Front of the Bolivian RevolutionRevolutionary Left Party
Liberation Front of the National LeftCommunist Party and others

Foreign involvement

The United States government provided financial support to Barrientos' campaign, including his efforts to form an electoral coalition and to campaign for the election.

Results