Juan Pereda facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Juan Pereda
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Official photograph by Freddy Alborta, 1978
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| 52nd President of Bolivia | |
| In office 21 July 1978 – 24 November 1978 |
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| Vice President | Vacant |
| Preceded by | Hugo Banzer |
| Succeeded by | David Padilla |
| Minister of Interior, Migration, and Justice | |
| In office 14 February 1974 – 28 November 1977 |
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| President | Hugo Banzer |
| Preceded by | Walter Castro Avendaño |
| Succeeded by | Guillermo Jiménez Gallo |
| Minister of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism | |
| In office 10 September 1973 – 14 February 1974 |
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| President | Hugo Banzer |
| Preceded by | Héctor Ormachea Peñaranda |
| Succeeded by | Miguel Ayoroa Montaño |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Juan Pereda Asbún
17 June 1931 La Paz, Bolivia |
| Died | 25 November 2012 (aged 81) Santa Cruz, Bolivia |
| Political party | Independent |
| Other political affiliations |
Nationalist Union of the People (political alliance) |
| Spouse | Norma Ballivián |
| Parents | Marcos Pereda María Luisa Asbún |
| Education | Military Aviation College |
| Signature | .svg){kind=small} |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Bolivia |
| Branch/service |  Bolivian Air Force |
| Rank | General |
Juan Pereda Asbún (born June 17, 1931 – died November 25, 2012) was a Bolivian military general. He became the president of Bolivia in 1978, though his rule lasted only four months. His time as president marked a very unstable period in Bolivia. In just over four years (1978-1982), Bolivia had nine different presidents. This was a big change compared to the previous seven years, which had only one president.
Contents
Early Life and Military Career
Juan Pereda was born in La Paz, Bolivia, on June 17, 1931. His father came from a family of merchants. His mother's family was wealthy and had Palestinian Christian roots. Pereda joined the Bolivian armed forces. He later became part of the country's new Air Force. He even led the Military Aviation School. After that, he was made the Air Force Commander.
Serving in Banzer's Government
Pereda served under President Hugo Banzer, who was a dictator from 1971 to 1978. Pereda was first a Minister of Industry. Later, in the late 1970s, he became the Minister of Interior. This was a very powerful job, second only to Banzer himself.
The 1978 Election and Its Aftermath
In 1978, after seven years in power, President Banzer decided to hold elections. He chose Pereda to run as his replacement. At that time, Bolivian presidents were not allowed to be re-elected right away. It was thought that Pereda would win with some "help" from a rigged election. The plan was for Pereda to rule for four years. Then, Banzer would return as the official president.
However, things did not go as planned. Before the election, a group called the UDP, led by former president Hernán Siles, was far ahead in the polls. No amount of election fixing could hide this. Pereda ran as the candidate for the Nationalist Union of the People, a right-wing group.
Official results showed Pereda winning with just over 50 percent of the votes. This was just enough for an outright victory. But many people protested across the country. Independent groups said that all exit polls showed Siles had clearly won. Also, the official results claimed more votes were cast than there were registered voters.
Because of this, Banzer canceled the elections. He said there had been election fraud and blamed Pereda and his supporters. Banzer announced he would call new elections within a year or two.
Pereda's Coup and Short Presidency
Pereda felt that Banzer had used him. So, Pereda launched a coup d'état (a sudden takeover of the government). Many military officers supported him. They felt Banzer had used the armed forces for his own political goals.
In July 1978, Banzer was forced to leave the Palacio Quemado, the presidential palace. Pereda was then sworn in as president. However, he was not a constitutional president because the fraud was so obvious. Pereda blamed Banzer for the situation. He vaguely said he would call new elections "within a reasonable time."
Pereda's lack of clear plans and a strong government program caused problems. After only four months in office, General Pereda was overthrown. This happened in November 1978. He was removed by officers who wanted democracy, led by General David Padilla. Feeling let down by everyone, Pereda left public life. He never took part in politics again.
See also
In Spanish: Juan Pereda Asbún para niños
