Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-07
INTERPRETING LATIN POLITICS.
TT is due to mistaken impression

1
TT is due to a mistaken impression
that the recent political disturb
ances in South America are inter
| i preted here as merely the continu-
ance of a long, traditional series OF
domestic upheavals having no other
motives than personal ambitions or the
qualification Of restless spirit Of civil
| diSobedience which is supposed to be
characteristic Of the Latin tempera-
ment.
Such seems to be the way most Amer
| lean editorial writer's regard the recent
domestic incidents in Bolivia and Peru,
where two similar revolutionary move
ments-the one two months ago and
the latter only last week-have taken
place.
Not even so authoritative and sup
poSedly well informed writer as for
mer President Calvin Coolidge has
escaped the influence of such an err
roneouS attitude. In one OF his daily
comments on world affairs he refers to
the Peruvian outbreak as curse" and
tries to explain 1t as only IAN attempt to
seize q government that is doing as well
as 1t can under all the circumstances
surrounding 1t for the purpose OF get
| ting the power and spells OF ONCE" He
adds that when a revolution means
only loss of life and property In order
to substitute new regime that Is no
better than the old 1t accomplishes no
constructive purpose
This is not the case with the Peru
Wan revolution, nor was 1t with the
Bolivian one, two months ago. THIS
time we come upon an entirely different
phenomenon--not quite so new to Latin
America, for two other nations went
through it before Bolivia and Peru, with
similar results--but evidently new to
the majority of political observers OF
South American conditions in this coun-
try. II we wish to understand the real
significance of the latest coups detat
in those two Latin republics, we
must consider first the circumstances
preceding them and get away from the
| Idea that they are a mere repetition OF
meaningless. passionate, capricious do
nestle uuarrels, which until recently
were the unfortunate fate OF Latin
American politics. Only thus shall we
be able to arrive at a correct lntefpre-
tation Of these events in current history.
The Bolivian movement was not one
aimed solely at the substitution OF one
certain political regime for another, nor
was IL the result Of selfish rivalry. on
the contrary, 1t was one undertaken In
defense of the national constitution, one
which, regardless of partisan purposes,
sought the re-establishment IN the
country of lost democratic liberties. IL
had become clearly evident that PreSi-
dent Siles intended TO have himself re-
elected, In spite of a constitutional pro-
vision forbidding q President to succeed
himself, and to remain in the govern
ment for another four years. Thus
President SHES seemed to be DESTROYS OF
following the example of other South
ern executives who, during the past
decade, had been perpetuating them
selves in power. A new personal die
tatorxhip loomed in the Latin political
horizon. To avoid this, and after all
! the protests of civilian leaders had
proven useless, only few Gays before
| the holding of popular elections Tor
Parliament which was to comply with
SileS' designs the army interviewed ana
proceeded to take control of the situa-
| ton by force in all the important in
terror cities of Bolivia. A military gov
eminent was established in Oruro, the
second largest city, which demanded
the withdrawal of Siles and his follow
ers and the preservation OF the consti-
tuition.
That public opinion was not in favor
of the dictatorial ambitions OF the Siles
regime, accused of following bad eco
nornic policies and non democratic
practices, was shown by the fact that
the revolution and supported 1t. After
slight resistance the coup d'etat sue
ceeded and a military junta took over
the government. The first act OF the
| illnta was to declare the military gov
eminent to be but a provisional one,
which would only aid in bringing the
republic back TO a normal ana legal
political status and save her Ior oe-
mocracy.
This pledge has been so far splen-
didly kept, The members OF the mln-
tary junta have refused any personal
| Intervention in political matters, have
promoted an agreement between the
leaders of all existing parties in Bolivia
| for the nomination of a single coan-
ton ticket" for the next presidential
elections and they are, in general way,
quietly promoting national concord ana
reorganization. An instance OF tneir
disinterestedness Is found IN the TACT
that they refuse any extra salaries LOT
their services in the civil government
and also encourage policies OF strletest
economy for the country.
The result is that today all political
factions are united in Bolivia. They
three parties to be national candi-
dates" for the presidency and the two
vice presidencies in the elections OF next
January. All personal liberties have
been restored. There Is no press CEN
sorship, there are no political prisoners
and there are no administrative em-
bezzlements.
Far from being a pitiful repetition Of
selfish, personalistic, political uprislngs.
the Bolivian military coup detat tends
to put an end to these. An eno Wnlcn