Revolutionary Nationalist Movement
Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario
National ChiefLuis Eduardo Siles
FounderVíctor Paz Estenssoro[1]
Hernán Siles Zuazo
Carlos Montenegro
Wálter Guevara
José Cuadros Quiroga[2]
Founded7 June 1942 (1942-06-07)[3]
Preceded byIndependent Socialist Party
HeadquartersCasa Rosada, Nicolás Acosta 574, San Pedro, La Paz
IdeologyCurrent:
Liberal conservatism
Federalism
Conservatism[4]
Liberalism[5]
Historical:
Social democracy
Left-wing nationalism[6]
Economic nationalism[7]
Left-wing populism[8]
Statism
Reformism
Revolutionary nationalism
Political positionCurrent:
Centre-right to Right-wing
Historical:
Centre-left to left-wing
National affiliationLibre 21[9][10]
Continental affiliationCOPPPAL
Colours  Pink
Chamber of Deputies
0 / 130
Senate
0 / 36
Website
www.mnr.org.bo

The Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (Spanish: Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario listenⓘ, MNR) is a centre-right, conservative political party in Bolivia.[11][4] It was the leading force behind the Bolivian National Revolution from 1952 to 1964. It influenced much of the country's history since 1941.

Origins

The Revolutionary Nationalist Movement was begun in 1941 by future presidents Víctor Paz Estenssoro and Hernán Siles Zuazo. It soon attracted some of the brightest members of the Bolivian intelligentsia. Among the party's most prominent supporters were Humberto Guzmán Fricke, Juan Lechín, Carlos Montenegro, Walter Guevara Arze, Javier del Granado, Augusto Céspedes, Lydia Gueiler, Guillermo Bedregal, and Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, a number of whom later became presidents of Bolivia.

At the time of its establishment it was a leftist/reformist party, along the lines of similar Latin American parties such as the Brazilian Labour Party, the Socialist Party of Chile, the National Liberation Party in Costa Rica, Dominican Revolutionary Party, the Guatemalan Revolutionary Action Party, the Mexican Institutional Revolutionary Party, the American Popular Revolutionary Alliance in Peru, Democratic Action in Venezuela. The MNR first came to power in 1943, as supporters of the reformist military regime of Gualberto Villarroel.

Bolivian National Revolution

The Revolutionary Nationalist Movement led the leftist Bolivian National Revolution of 1952 and ruled the country until 1964 when it was overthrown by the military coup of René Barrientos. During the presidencies of Paz Estenssoro (1952–56 and 1960–64) and Hernán Siles Zuazo (1956–60) were the top leaders of the Revolutionary period, establishing the universal vote, nationalizing the tin mines, and instituting an extensive agrarian reform. During this time many of the old elitist parties which had previously dominated Bolivian politics either disappeared or faded into irrelevance. This left the MNR in the center of the Bolivian political spectrum.

Siles and Paz split in the 1960s over Paz's ambitions and personal control of the party. Filled with many strong personalities, the party had in fact begun to fragment along political and personal lines since the late 1950s, with Wálter Guevara being the first to leave and the popular Juan Lechín being expelled in 1964. Siles went on to form the Revolutionary Nationalist Leftwing Movement (MNRI) and Lechín the Revolutionary Party of the Nationalist Left (PRIN).

Further splits and return to democracy

Falling from power only deepened the intra-party squabbles. With the main body of the MNR firmly behind Paz Estenssoro, the old leader made what can be seen as a major mistake in 1971, when he supported the coup d'état of Hugo Banzer Suárez. He apparently believed that Banzer would only rule for a year or two before calling elections that the MNR would almost certainly win. If so, he badly miscalculated; Banzer exiled Paz in 1975. The main body supported Paz in exile, while a faction continued to back Banzer.

Paz' support of the Banzer dictatorship was a move that was to cost his party dearly at the polls in subsequent years. While Paz seemed to be moving steadily to the right, Siles Zuazo broke off to found the left-leaning Left-wing Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNRI) in 1971. Indeed, Siles was the post-MNR politician who was best able to capitalize on the remaining legitimacy and respect that MNR had as a result of the 1952 Revolution. Paz Estenssoro led the MNR-proper in the Bolivian general elections of 1978, 1979, and 1980 elections, finishing third, second, and second, respectively.

Led by Sánchez de Lozada, the MNR won the 1993 elections and Sanchez was confirmed as president by parliament. He continued the policies of the NEP. The party placed second in 1997 elections, with the presidential candidate Juan Carlos Durán (at the time, the Bolivian constitution prohibited direct re-election of a sitting president) losing to the former dictator Banzer.

21st century

At the legislative elections 2002 MNR in alliance with Free Bolivia Movement, won 26.9% of the popular vote and 36 out of 130 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 11 out of 27 in the Senate. Following these elections, because no presidential candidate had received a majority, the Congress chose the President, and they again elected Sánchez de Lozada. After the 2002 elections, the party ruled in a coalition with the Revolutionary Left Movement. In 2003 Sanchez was forced to resign, and his successor, independent candidate Carlos Mesa took over in hopes of promoting national unity in the face of nationwide protests. Mesa soon resigned and presidential elections were scheduled for December 2005. In these elections MNR received only 6.5% of the popular vote and won 7 out of 130 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 1 out of 27 seats in the Senate. Its candidate in the presidential elections was Michiaki Nagatani, whose poor performance demonstrated a steep decline in the fortunes of the party as the Bolivian political scene began to be dominated by Evo Morales.

For the 2009 elections, the MNR was a component of the Plan Progress for Bolivia – National Convergence. The party's future is uncertain as it is no longer represented in the parliament and its last government has been tarnished by serious accusations of corruption, economic mismanagement and armed suppression of protesters.

The Revolutionary Nationalist Movement currently is led by Luis Eduardo Siles.

Electoral history

Presidential elections

Election Party candidate Votes % Result
1947 Víctor Paz Estenssoro 5,194 5.56% Lost Red X
1951 54,129 42.9% Annulled Red X
1956 Hernán Siles Zuazo 787,792 84.4% Elected Green tick
1960 Víctor Paz Estenssoro 735,619 76.1% Elected Green tick
1964 1,114,717 97.9% Elected Green tick
1966 Víctor Andrade 88,099 8.7% Lost Red X
1978 Víctor Paz Estenssoro 213,622 11.0% Lost Red X
1979 527,184 35.9% Lost Red X
1980 263,706 20.2% Lost Red X
1985 456,704 30.4% Elected Green tick
1989 Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada 363,113 25.6% Lost Red X
1993 585,837 35.6% Elected Green tick
1997 Juan Carlos Durán 396,235 18.2% Lost Red X
2002 Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada 624,126 22.5% Elected Green tick
2005 Michiaki Nagatani Morishita 185,859 6.5% Lost Red X
2009 Endorsing Manfred Reyes Villa 1,212,795 26.5% Lost Red X
2014 Endorsing Samuel Doria Medina 1,253,288 24.2% Lost Red X
2019 Virginio Lema 42,334 0.7% Lost Red X

Chamber of Deputies and Senate elections

Election Votes % Chamber seats +/– Position Senate seats +/– Position
1942
5 / 110
 Increase 5 Increase 7th
0 / 27
1944
56 / 137
 Increase 51 Increase 1st
0 / 27
1947
4 / 111
 Decrease 52 Decrease 4th
1 / 27
 Increase 1 Increase 4th
1949
9 / 111
 Increase 5 Increase 3rd
1 / 27
 Steady Decrease 5th
1956 787,792 84.4%
61 / 68
 Increase 52 Increase 1st
18 / 18
 Increase 17 Increase 1st
1960 735,619 76.1%
51 / 68
 Decrease 10 Steady 1st
18 / 18
 Steady Steady 1st
1962 886,572 84.7%
64 / 72
 Increase 13 Steady 1st
27 / 27
 Increase 16 Steady 1st
1964 1,114,717 97.9%
57 / 73
 Decrease 7 Steady 1st
22 / 27
 Decrease 5 Steady 1st
1966 88,099 8.7%
0 / 120
 Decrease 57 Decrease 3rd
0 / 27
 Decrease 22 Decrease 3rd
1979 527,184 35.9%
48 / 117
 Increase 48 Increase 1st
16 / 27
 Increase 16 Increase 1st
1980 263,706 20.2%
34 / 130
 Decrease 14 Decrease 2nd
10 / 27
 Decrease 6 Decrease 2nd
1985 456,704 30.4%
43 / 130
 Increase 9 Increase 1st
16 / 27
 Increase 6 Increase 1st
1989 363,113 25.6%
40 / 130
 Decrease 3 Steady 1st
9 / 27
 Decrease 7 Steady 1st
1993 585,837 35.6%
52 / 130
 Increase 12 Steady 1st
17 / 27
 Increase 8 Steady 1st
1997 396,235 18.2%
26 / 130
 Decrease 26 Decrease 2nd
5 / 27
 Decrease 12 Decrease 2nd
2002 624,126 22.5%
36 / 130
 Increase 10 Increase 1st
11 / 27
 Increase 6 Increase 1st
2005 185,859 6.47%
7 / 130
 Decrease 29 Decrease 4th
1 / 27
 Decrease 10 Decrease 4th

References

  1. ↑ "Fundación del Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario / 7 de Junio de 1942 .: Un día en la historia de Bolivia". www.historia.com.bo. Retrieved 2021-02-06.
  2. ↑ "Presentación del documento fundacional del MNR / 7 de Junio de 1942 .: Un día en la historia de Bolivia". www.historia.com.bo. Retrieved 2021-02-06.
  3. ↑ "Movimiento Nacionalista Revolucionario Declaración de Principios" (PDF). 2014-07-02. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-07-02. Retrieved 2021-02-06.
  4. 1 2 "Six Weeks After Elections La Paz Has a Scandal But No Mayor". AP NEWS. Archived from the original on 16 June 2022. Retrieved 2022-06-17.
  5. ↑ "Nach Wahlsieg beginnt Indio-Kandidat Morales "Kampf und Naturschätze"". Wiener Zeitung. 19 December 2005. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
  6. ↑ Tanja Ernst. "Demokratie und Dekolonisierung in Bolivien". University of Kassel. p. 86. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  7. ↑ Sören Soika. "Zwischen Multilateralismus und Souveränismus" (PDF). Kooperativer Bibliotheksverbund Berlin-Brandenburg. p. 93. Retrieved 2023-07-14.
  8. ↑ Katharina Müller. "Zur Politischen Ökonomie von Reformen". Federal Agency for Civic Education. Retrieved 2023-07-16.
  9. ↑ "MNR apoyará candidatura de Tuto Quiroga; descarta alianza con Camacho". Los Tiempos (in Spanish). 2020-01-21. Retrieved 2021-02-06.
  10. ↑ Bolivia, Opinión. "MNR y MPS forman la alianza "Libre 21" para postular a Tuto Quiroga". Opinión Bolivia (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-02-06.
  11. ↑ "Progress or collapse". The Economist. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2022-06-17.
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