Celso Torrelio
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Celso Torrelio | |
 |
|
|
69th President of Bolivia
|
|
|---|---|
| In office 4 September 1981 – 21 July 1982 |
|
| Preceded by | Luis García Meza |
| Succeeded by | Guido Vildoso |
|
|
|
| Born | June 3, 1933 Chuquisaca, Bolivia |
| Died | April 23, 1999 (aged 65) La Paz, Bolivia |
| Nationality | Bolivian |
Celso Torrelio Villa (June 3, 1933, Chuquisaca, Bolivia - April 23, 1999, La Paz) was a military general and de facto president of Bolivia between September 1981 and August 1982.
A native of Padilla, department of Chuquisaca, Torrelio joined the Bolivian Army and rose to the rank of general. He served as the notorious dictator Luis García Meza's Minister of Interior after the departure (forced by Washington) of the equally infamous Colonel Luis Arce. The García Meza regime became internationally known for its extreme brutality. Some 1,000 people are estimated to have been killed by the Bolivian army and security forces between July of 1980 and August of 1981. In addition, the García Meza government was deeply involved in drug trafficking activities, and may have come to power financed directly by the drug cartels. This led to the complete isolation of the regime. Even the new, conservative U.S. President, Ronald Reagan, kept its distance and seemed to prefer better options. Eventually, the international outcry was sufficiently strong to force García Meza's resignation on August 3, 1981. The high command of the Bolivian armed forces at that point entrusted General Celso Torrelio with the presidency.
Although the military's idea was to replace the polarizing García Meza with a less controversial and more acceptable leader equally as committed to the principles of the anti-communist National Security Doctrine, their plan did not come to fruition. The regime continued to be shunned internationally, and despised domestically. Furthermore, a very grave economic crisis loomed on the horizon, the result of years of mismanagement, a global recession, and the onset of the so-called Latin American debt crisis. Faced with the choices of mounting a fresh represive campaign to re-equilibrate the reeling regime (with the increased international isolation such a move would entail) or call elections, the high command chose the latter. In July of 1982, General Torrelio was replaced with General Guido Vildoso, who was charged with returning the country to democratic rule. Torrelio then retired and did not return to play any role in Bolivian politics.
[edit] Source
- Prado Salmón, Gral. Gary. "Poder y Fuerzas Armadas, 1949-1982."
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Luis García Meza |
President of Bolivia 1981-1982 |
Succeeded by Guido Vildoso |
.svg/50px-Flag_of_Bolivia_(state).svg.png){kind=small}
 |
This article about a Bolivian politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
