Gualberto Villarroel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gualberto Villarroel
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| 39th President of Bolivia | |
| In office 20 December 1943 – 21 July 1946 Provisional: 5 April 1944 – 6 August 1944 Junta: 20 December 1943 – 5 April 1944 |
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| Vice President | None (1943–1945) Julián Montellano (1945–1946) |
| Preceded by | Enrique Peñaranda |
| Succeeded by | Néstor Guillén |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Gualberto Villarroel López
15 December 1908 Villa Rivero, Cochabamba, Bolivia |
| Died | 21 July 1946 (aged 37) La Paz, Bolivia |
| Political party | RADEPA |
| Spouse | Elena López |
| Children | 2 |
| Parents | Enrique Casto Villarroel María López |
| Education | Military College of the Army |
| Signature | .svg){kind=small} |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Bolivia |
| Branch/service |  Bolivian Army |
| Years of service | 1925–1935 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit | Pérez Tercero Infantry Regiment 8th Ayacucho Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Chaco War |
| Awards |  Order of the Condor of the Andes Order of Abdon Calderón |
Gualberto Villarroel López (born December 15, 1908 – died July 21, 1946) was a Bolivian military officer. He became the 39th president of Bolivia and served from 1943 to 1946. Villarroel wanted to make big changes in Bolivia. He is remembered for his ideas and for his sad and violent death in 1946.
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Early Life and Military Career
Gualberto Villarroel was born on December 15, 1908, in a town called Villa Rivero in Cochabamba Department. His parents were Enrique Casto Villarroel and María López. When he was 11, his parents sent him to better schools in Cochabamba.
He finished school in 1924. In 1925, he joined the Military College of the Army. He graduated in 1928 as a second lieutenant. He was a very good student and even won an award from the government of Ecuador. By 1931, he became a lieutenant.
Fighting in the Chaco War
Villarroel fought in the Chaco War from 1932 to 1935 against Paraguay. His bravery and smart ideas in battle were noticed by his commanders. He fought in important battles like Cañada Strongest. In 1935, he was promoted to captain. He also helped defend Villamontes in the final part of the war.
After Bolivia lost the war, Villarroel believed the country needed big changes. He supported new military leaders who wanted to improve things. However, after 1939, older, more traditional groups took power. They were often linked to the country's large mining companies.
The 1943 Coup d'état
Even though traditional groups were in power, Villarroel and others still wanted change. He joined a secret military group called RADEPA. This group was formed by Bolivian soldiers who had been prisoners of war in Paraguay. RADEPA wanted the military to be involved in politics. They also wanted to stop other countries from controlling Bolivia's natural resources too much.
In late 1943, RADEPA secretly worked with a new political group called the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR). They planned to overthrow the government of President Enrique Peñaranda. A big event that helped them was the Catavi massacre in 1942. Many striking miners were killed, which made the government very unpopular.
On December 20, 1943, the RADEPA and MNR groups took over the government. Villarroel became the new president. He was only 35 years old, making him one of Bolivia's youngest presidents ever. Members of the MNR, like Víctor Paz Estenssoro, joined his government.
President of Bolivia (1943–1946)
Working for U.S. Recognition
The United States government was surprised by the coup. They had good relations with the previous president, Peñaranda. Bolivia had joined the Allied Powers in World War II and promised its tin to help the war effort. The U.S. government worried that Villarroel's government might be friendly with Axis countries like Nazi Germany. They refused to recognize him as president.
Villarroel's government quickly tried to show the U.S. that they wanted good relations. They promised to support the war effort. They also offered to sell important resources like quinine and tin to the U.S. They even removed some German and Japanese companies from Bolivia.
Despite their efforts, the U.S. still saw Villarroel's government as possibly pro-Nazi. Most American countries refused to recognize him. Villarroel made changes to his government, even removing some MNR leaders. Finally, in May 1944, the U.S. decided to recognize his government.
The 1945 Indigenous Congress
Villarroel wanted to gain support from the indigenous people of Bolivia. These groups had been treated unfairly for a long time. In 1944, he ended a rule that stopped indigenous people from entering public squares in La Paz.
In May 1945, Villarroel helped organize the First Indigenous Congress in La Paz. About 1,500 indigenous delegates and their families attended. This meeting led to important changes for indigenous communities. One big change was ending pongueaje. This was a system where indigenous farmers had to work for free on large farms. Other unfair "personal services" were also stopped.
Even though these changes were moderate, some powerful landowners did not like them. But indigenous farmers continued to push for these new laws to be followed.
New Laws and Reforms
In 1944, Villarroel held elections for a new assembly to write laws. His party, the MNR, won many seats. On August 5, 1944, this assembly officially named Gualberto Villarroel the constitutional President.
Villarroel made many important reforms. He officially recognized worker unions, like the Federation of Miners. He started building Bolivia's first oil refinery. He also set up a retirement pension system for workers. He once said, "I am not an enemy of the rich but I am more a friend of the poor."
In November 1945, a new constitution was approved. It kept many parts of the old constitution but added more reforms.
Dealing with Opposition
Not everyone was happy with Villarroel's changes. Powerful mining companies and other conservative groups opposed him. Also, workers began to use their new rights to protest and demand more. Sometimes, the government used strong measures to keep control.
One event involved a well-known sociologist named José Antonio Arze. He was arrested for a few months. Later, there was an attempt on his life. It was not clear if Villarroel's government was directly involved.
Another event was the kidnapping of a rich tin businessman named Moritz Hochschild. He was arrested and then released. But on the same day, he was taken by RADEPA agents. He was held for 17 days. Other countries, like Argentina, Chile, and the United States, helped get him released.
Challacollo and Chuspipata Executions
The government's strong actions led to plots against Villarroel. One attempt to overthrow the government in Oruro failed. Those involved were arrested. Without a trial, some of these people were executed. On November 19, four people were shot near Challacollo. Later, five more, including two senators and two former government ministers, were executed near Chuspipata.
When these events became known, Villarroel said he had not ordered the executions. However, as president, he took responsibility for what happened.
Overthrow and Death
The executions and other harsh actions made Villarroel's government very unpopular. People were also unhappy because teachers were paid very little. In July 1946, workers, students, and teachers threatened to strike. They wanted higher wages for teachers and for the MNR party to leave the government. Villarroel's government refused, saying it would cause prices to rise.
On July 8, teachers and university students went on strike. Police tried to stop a protest, and some people were killed or hurt. Students rallied the city's people. More clashes happened between the army and protesters.
Villarroel tried to calm things down. He released arrested students and asked his MNR ministers to resign. On July 20, a new military government was announced. The defense minister promised not to fire on the people.
On July 21, Villarroel wrote his resignation. But by then, the protests had become too big to stop easily. Rioters stormed the presidential palace. Villarroel was found hiding in a cupboard. There are different stories about what happened next. Some say he was shot through the cupboard door. Others say he fought back before being shot.
Gualberto Villarroel died inside the palace. After these violent events, a temporary government took over.
See also
In Spanish: Gualberto Villarroel para niños
- Cabinet of Gualberto Villarroel
- Government Junta of Bolivia (1943–1944)
