The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-07-22
Rebels Kill ViIIarroeI In Bolivia
 Workers, Students
 Set Up Moke-shift
 Rule in Capital

kuIe m NoP1tol
 La Paz, Bolivia, July 22.-(UP)-' A regime of liberals, workers and students today established pro- visional government after a bloody four-day revolution in which an es- timated 26O persons were killed, including President Gualberto Vil- larroel who was shot, hurled from a balcony and his battered body strung up on lamp post.
 Estimates of wounded ranged as high as 520.
 La Paz was quiet today under the strong control of the youthtul revolutionary group which pro- claimed its democratic aspirations and announced general elections would be called as soon as pos sible.
 Badies Lay in Streets
 Many bodies of those killed In the bloody street fighting still lay in the streets and plazas where they fell.
 It was believed the provinces would support he new government although fighting between peasants and the constabulary was reported at Oruro.
 The success of the revolution was attributed to the fact that troops on whom Villarroel relied stood aside when the anger of the people became evident after the staying of a group of university students on Thursday. It was the second time in recent history that Bolivian stu dents have spearheaded revolu- ton, the other occasion being ln 1880.
 Nestor Cullen, dean of the su- preme court for the La Paz dis trict, headed the provisional gov ernment. It seized the power Wrest- ed from VillarroeTs military cab met in a violent battle through the streets capped by successful siege of the presidential palace yester- day.
 Casualties High
 The provisional junta or govern ing board under President Cullen comprised Luis Gonsalvez Inda- buro. lawyer and representative of the La Paz district superior court: Dr. Aniceto Solares, physi- elan and representative of the uni versity students; the president Of the University of Sucro, teachers representative; and Aurelio Alcoba, workers representative.
 Preliminary estimates of casual ties ran as high as 2,0O0. Rebel leaders estimated 260 were killed and 800 wounded in the showdown battle. Fighting had been going on with only brief recesses since the revolutionary movement began last Tuesday.
 All of Bolivia appeared to be &C., cepting the provisional government, which met in the presidential pal ace amidst the wreckage. The fate of Villarroel's wife and two daugh- ters was unknown, Several embas- sies in La Paz were Sheltering refu- gees from the overthrown regime.
 Villarroel's troubled leadership of Bolivia ended as 1t began-in revo- lution and bloodshed, on Dec. 20, l943, when he toppled President En- rique Penaranda in military coup.
 Wounded In Siege
 The dictator-mnded Villarroel was wounded gravely when the siege army stormed the presidential pal ace at l:30 P. M. yesterday. Fanat- ical revolutionaries found him alive and hurled his body from a bal cony.
 It landed at the feet of the rebel force pressing in against the palace. The fall was believed to have jolted the last spark of life out of the wounded president. Aggressive lead CTS of the shock force seized his body and hoisted it on lamp post in the plaza facing the palace.
 The body dangled from the post for hours while the revolutionaries hurried through the formalities of establishing regime to take up the reins of government.
 The fate of some leaders of Vil- larroels regime-shaken up and converted into a military machine Saturday in an effort to avert over throW-was hidden in the confu- sion.
 Attempted to Flee
 When Villarroel realized that he had lost his fight to pacify the rev. olutionaries with a cabinet Shakeup, and that they were battling to a showdown, he ordered a plane made ready to fly him out of the country.
 The plane was waiting, its motor running, at Fl Alto airport on a plain outside the city when Villar- roel was killed. He made a break for the airport, but the revolution aries threw barricades across the street and fusillade of gunfire turned him back to the palace.
 When the rebels charged toward the palace after thwarting Villar- roels flight, the minister of educa- tion tried by short wave radio to summon automobiles to crash the barricades. But the cars did not come.
 It was the army's joining the rev. olutionary forces that appeared to have decided the issue. Even while the battle was going on, motorized regiments which Villarroel had called in from the hinterland when the situation became threatening last week announced their support of the revolutionarieS.
 Finally, in the last stage of the fighting, the air force announced it was switching its allegiance to the raunll1tinnaries All trOanS of the