Alfredo Ovando Candía facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alfredo Ovando
Official photo, 1966, El Greco Studio, La Paz
48th President of Bolivia
In office 26 September 1969 – 6 October 1970
Vice President	Vacant
Preceded by	Luis Adolfo Siles Salinas
Succeeded by	Juan José Torres
In office 2 January 1966 – 6 August 1966
Vice President	Vacant
Preceded by	Himself (as co-president)
Succeeded by	René Barrientos
In office 26 May 1965 – 2 January 1966 Serving with René Barrientos
Vice President	Vacant
Preceded by	René Barrientos
Succeeded by	Himself (as president)
Personal details
Born	Alfredo Ovando Candía (1918-04-06)6 April 1918 Cobija, National Territory of Northwest Colonies, Bolivia
Died	24 January 1982(1982-01-24) (aged 63) La Paz, Bolivia
Spouse	Elsa Omiste
Parents	Aljeandro Ovando Mercedes Candía
Education	Military College of the Army
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Bolivia
Branch/service	Bolivian Army
Years of service	1933–1969
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Chaco War

Alfredo Ovando Candía (born April 6, 1918 – died January 24, 1982) was an important military leader in Bolivia. He served as the 48th president of Bolivia two times. First, he was a co-president with René Barrientos from 1965 to 1966. Later, he became president on his own from 1969 to 1970. He was also a general in the Bolivian Army and an ambassador.

Early Life and Military Career

Alfredo Ovando Candía was born in Cobija, Bolivia. His family came from Spain and Italy. He began his military career in the early 1930s. He fought in the Chaco War against Paraguay.

After the 1952 Revolution, the Bolivian army changed. Ovando was chosen to help lead the new army. The United States also helped Bolivia modernize its military. This was to help fight against groups that might try to start a communist revolution.

The 1964 Coup and Co-Presidency

In 1964, the president at the time, Víctor Paz Estenssoro, wanted to run for president again. This was not usually allowed. So, General Ovando and the vice-president, René Barrientos, removed Paz from power. This was a coup d'état, which means they took control of the government by force.

Ovando and Barrientos ruled Bolivia together. They were sometimes called "The Co-Presidency." In January 1966, Barrientos left his position to run for president in an election. Ovando then became the only president for a short time. After Barrientos won the election, Ovando went back to his role as Commander of the Bolivian Air Forces.

Commander and Future President

After Barrientos became president, Ovando waited for his chance to lead the country again. He was expected to run for president in 1970. However, some disagreements grew between Ovando and President Barrientos.

In 1967, a famous revolutionary named Ernesto "Che" Guevara was found leading a small group in Bolivia. The Bolivian military, with help from the United States, captured and executed Guevara. Later, in 1968, a scandal happened. Barrientos's friend, Antonio Arguedas, disappeared with Che Guevara's diary. The diary later appeared in Cuba. Arguedas then said he was a secret Marxist. He also claimed that Barrientos and others were working for the CIA. This made Barrientos look bad. Ovando started to distance himself from Barrientos.

On April 27, 1969, President Barrientos died in a helicopter crash. His vice-president, Luis Adolfo Siles Salinas, became president. But Siles and Ovando did not get along well. Ovando felt that Siles might not support him for the next election.

Ovando also started to change his political ideas. He felt he needed to be more "left-leaning" to be a popular leader. This meant he wanted the government to have more control over the economy to help ordinary people. Because of these reasons, Ovando decided not to wait for the elections. On September 26, 1969, he led another coup to remove Siles from power.

Ovando's Presidency (1969-1970)

Ovando's time as president lasted only 13 months. It was a difficult period with a lot of political tension. When he took office, he promised to make big changes to improve life for most Bolivians.

One of his first actions was to take control of the Bolivian operations of the U.S.-based Gulf Oil Corporation. This meant the Bolivian government would now own and manage the oil company. He also invited people who supported "leftist" ideas to join his government. He wanted Bolivia to follow the path of other "leftist military" governments in Latin America, like those in Peru and Panama.

However, Ovando's actions did not please everyone. Some conservative military leaders were surprised. Others on the left, like workers and students, felt he didn't go far enough. The military itself became divided. Some supported Ovando, while others wanted a more conservative approach.

In June 1970, a new group of guerrillas appeared. They were mostly Bolivian university students. The military quickly stopped this group. Ovando offered them a chance to surrender safely. This was different from how previous leaders had dealt with such groups.

The October 1970 Coup and Retirement

On October 6, 1970, another coup d'état happened against Ovando's government. Different parts of the military fought each other. There was fighting in several cities. President Ovando eventually sought safety in a foreign embassy, thinking he had lost.

However, the "leftist" military forces, led by General Juan José Torres, fought back and won. Ovando, tired from his difficult time in office, agreed to let his friend, General Torres, become president.

After leaving the presidency, Ovando became the Bolivian ambassador to Spain. He lived in Madrid until 1978, when he returned to Bolivia. In his later years, he supported a political group called the UDP. He did not take part in active politics again. Alfredo Ovando Candía died in La Paz on January 24, 1982, at the age of 63. His wife passed away in 2014.

Sources

• Mesa José de; Gisbert, Teresa; and Carlos D. Mesa, "Historia De Bolivia," 5th edition., pp. 641–655.
• Prado Salmon, Gral. Gary. "Poder y Fuerzas Armadas, 1949-1982."

See also

In Spanish: Alfredo Ovando Candía para niños