Evening star., 1932-08-28
ELECTION DOESN'T MEAN
VTCTORYNLATIN AMERICA
Bonifaz of Ecuador Finds
His Inauguration Blocked by
"Defeated" Party.

been for Senor Bonifazs political oppo-
nents to arouse public sentiment and
demand of Congress the annulment OF
his election.
And If you consider that the Liberals
are in control of the congressional
majority, and have the upper hand in
the present provisional government 1t
is equally plain to realize how easy
it has been for them to use Senor Boni-
fazs contested nationality as the vea
pom to prevent him from taking the
reins of power on September /.
President for Cancellation.
This is not. either, the first time in
which a political maneuver, directed by
the men in the government, and facili-
tated by congressional action, has re-
suited in the cancellation of a popular
election for the presidency of a South
American republic.
In 1925. when the term Of President
Bautista Saavedra of Bolivia was due
to expire. he looked for a friendly sue
cessor" among his followers friend
ly successor" meaning, of course some
one in close sympathy with his own po-
litical ideas and who would keep on
governing with the same men and the
| same methods he had employed
| Saavedra had been an executive of
| tne SCrong- -hand type, and was par
! ttcularly interested in preserving GER
tain governmental influences after his
retirement, both to protect himself and
his friends from the probable reaction
! OF his enemies, and perhaps to insure
! himself later return to power
| IheSe considerations moved him to
/ search very carefully for the man who
| was to relieve him from the RESPONSE
Dllltles OF power He finally picked up
Senor Jose Gabino Villanueva, one of
! his political lieutenants. A physician
| by profession, with short and not dis
| ttnctly brilliant public career, Senior
Villanueva had never been considered
/ presidential timber" But at that time
President Saavedras will was not only
| the will of the Republican party OF
Bolivia but also the will of the Bolivian
/ electorate"
| Consequently. Senor Villanueva went
/ to the polls and in democratic fashion"
was elected the next chief executive of
the Andean republic on the same ticket
with President Saavedra's brother, D.
Saavedra, who was chosen Vice Presi-
dent.
When President Saavedra's plans ap-
peared completed, and all seemed to be
coming out smoothly, it developed that
Senor Villanueva, now President-elect,
lost his head"-as the Republicans
charged-and began to promise openly
and avowedly "nationalistic" govern
ment, in which members of the opposi-
ton parties would play an important
hand. Encouraged by the approval Of
the opposition leaders, he went further,
and talked of the lend of dictatorial
regimes in Bolivia" and of the dawning
OF "a new era of democratic govern
ment" which he was to bring about
upon his Inauguration as the head of
the state
In fact, President-elect Villanueva
talked a little too much. And when to
the ears Of President Saavedra came
the rumorS and the echo of his chosen
successors utteranceS and plans, the
light of Senor Villanueva's meteoric po-
litical star was shut off. President
Saavedra, after rash conferences with
his closest associates, decided that the
elimination of Senior Villanueva was
necessary.
Old Law Uncovered.
The next problem was how to go
about it. Senor Villanueva, after all,
was the elected chief executive. He
had received-certainly due to the
wishes of the Saavedra electoral ma
chinery. but he had received it just the
same-the popular mandate for the
presidency And the Inauguration Ger
emonleS were only few weeks Off
What happened then is worth while
mentioning for the annals of Latin
American politics. And for the en-
lghtenment of future Presidents elect
In that part of the world
President Saavedra, going through
dusty, abandoned archives Of congress
sional records and legislative measures
out of fashion, found one which pre-
scribed that candidates for high public
Office should resign, 80 DAYS previous
whichever government position they
might hold. This was sufficient illegal
material" to stop Senor Villanueva
The candid and outspoken President
elect had failed to comply with this
requirement, which is only natural, as
no one remembered it until President
Saavedra brought it back to light. Not
even President Saavedra's brother, who
ran for the vice presidency on the
same ticket with Senor Villanueva, had
complied with It, Both had been on
the government pay roll when nomi-
mated. But this was not cause strong
enough to prevent President Saavedra
from carrying out his plans. He or
dered an investigation by Congress,
which was entirely controlled by his
friends And the result of the investi-
CATION, obviously, was the annulment
of Senor Villanueva's election, the ap-
pointment of a provisional chief ex-
ecutive-another of Saavedra's ieuten-
antS-and the convocation of new
presidential elections for 90 days
thence
Nationality laws and legal stipula-
tions are powerful weapons in the
hands of Latin American politicians.
In fact, not only in Latin America, but
anywhere on earth, it seems to me,
a good lawyers mind should be a re-
quirement to enter into politics.
Copyright. 1927