Hugo Banzer was a politician, military general, dictator and President of Bolivia.
Education
He went to the Bolivian Army Military High School in La Paz, graduating as a cavalry lieutenant.
He was sent to the United States Army's School of the Americas in Panama, and received more training at Fort Hood, Tex., in 1960. He later went to Washington as a military attaché.
Career
He held various government posts in the 1960's, but was exiled to Argentina in 1971 after leading a failed coup attempt against Gen. Juan José Torres, the leftist president.
In 1964 Mr. Banzer was appointed minister of education, and in 1969 he became director of the military academy, a prestigious post he held until he was dismissed in January 1971 by General Torres.
In August 1971, Mr. Banzer sneaked back into Bolivia to lead a coup that ousted General Torres, and declared himself president.
Mr. Banzer's military rule ushered in violent repression of opponents. Censors clamped down on the news media, and in 1974 Mr. Banzer prohibited all political activity.
Widely accepted figures say that during Mr. Banzer's 1971-78 tenure, 19,000 people sought asylum in foreign countries, 15,000 were arrested and at least 200 were killed for political reasons.
Mr. Banzer was overthrown in 1978, but he helped establish his democratic credentials in 1985 when he placed first in a presidential election, but with less than 50 percent of the vote. Rather than seizing office, he stepped aside and allowed Congress to constitutionally elect Victor Paz Estenssoro as president.
In 1997, Mr. Banzer came in first again, and this time was voted into the presidency by Congress.
Interests
reading
Connections
He was married Yolanda Prada de Banzer and they had 5 children.