Enrique Peñaranda

president of Bolivia

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July 1, 2026

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General Enrique Peñaranda was president of Bolivia from 1940 to 1943. His presidency was marked by political instability and the rise of new political groups, including the Nationalist Revolutionary Movement (MNR) and the Party of the Revolutionary Left (PIR). In 1943, Peñaranda was overthrown by a military group called Reason for the Fatherland (RADEPA), which then allied with the MNR. This period ultimately led to the Bolivian National Revolution of 1952, a significant social upheaval that brought about universal suffrage, nationalized tin mines, and land reform.12

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Bolivia
The rise of new political groups and the Bolivian National Revolution
Enrique Peñaranda was overthrown by a secret military group, Reason for the Fatherland (Razón de Patria; RADEPA). RADEPA allied itself with the MNR and tried to create a new-style government under Col. Gualberto Villaroel (1943–46), but little was accomplished except for the MNR’s political mobilization…
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Enrique Peñaranda was overthrown by a secret military group, Reason for the Fatherland (Razón de Patria; RADEPA). RADEPA allied itself with the MNR and tried to create a new-style government under Col. Gualberto Villaroel (1943–46), but little was accomplished except for the MNR’s political mobilization…
Read More