United Left (Bolivia)
Encyclopedia
The United Left was a political coalition in Bolivia
. IU was launched ahead of the 1989 national elections
, as a successor of the United People's Front (FPU). At the time of its founding IU consisted of eight parties, including the Revolutionary Left Movement - Free Bolivia
(MIR-BL), the Communist Party of Bolivia
(PCB), the Socialist Party-1 (PS-1), the Axis of Patriotic Convergence (ECP), the Movement for Socialist-Unzaguist (MAS-U) and FOM.
The candidate of IU for president in 1989 was the MIR-BL leader Antonio Aranibar. The vice presidential candidate of the coalition was Walter Delgadillo, ex-general secretary of the Central Obrera Boliviana trade union
confederation. The Aranibar-Delgadillo ticket obtained 113,509 votes (7.2% of the national vote). IU won ten seats in the Chamber of Deputies
but no seats in the Senate. Three IU parliamentarians were elected from Cochabamba Department
, Chuquisaca Department
and Potosí Department
, and one parliamentarian was elected from La Paz Department.
The coalition fell apart ahead of the municipal elections in December 1989, in which the different parties contested separately. IU was later revived, without MIR-BL in its fold.
By 1997 IU was largely moribund. However, ahead of the 1997 national elections candidates from the Assembly for the Sovereignty of the Peoples
(ASP) of Alejo Véliz
and Evo Morales
were included on the lists of IU. ASP had unsuccessfully sought registration as a political party prior to the alliance with IU. Véliz was the presidential candidate for IU as well as being a candidate for parliament (on the proportional representation
list). Four ASP members were elected to the Chamber of Deputies as IU candidates (all from the Chapare province
of Cochabamba Department
); Evo Morales, Román Loayza Caero
, Félix Sanchéz Veizaga and Néstor Guzmán Villarroel
.
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
. IU was launched ahead of the 1989 national elections
Bolivian presidential election, 1989
- Campaign :In the initial months of 1989, the MNR tried in vain to postpone the election date, arguing that the deadline for electoral registration restricted citizen participation. In December 1988, the party's delegation in Congress had managed to amend the electoral law of 1986...
, as a successor of the United People's Front (FPU). At the time of its founding IU consisted of eight parties, including the Revolutionary Left Movement - Free Bolivia
Free Bolivia Movement
The Free Bolivia Movement is a progressive political party in Bolivia. The party was formed on January 15, 1985, following a split in MIR...
(MIR-BL), the Communist Party of Bolivia
Communist Party of Bolivia
The Communist Party of Bolivia is a communist party in Bolivia. It was founded in 1950 by Raúl Ruiz González and other former members of the Revolutionary Left Party . It remained small and did not hold its first national party congress until 1959....
(PCB), the Socialist Party-1 (PS-1), the Axis of Patriotic Convergence (ECP), the Movement for Socialist-Unzaguist (MAS-U) and FOM.
The candidate of IU for president in 1989 was the MIR-BL leader Antonio Aranibar. The vice presidential candidate of the coalition was Walter Delgadillo, ex-general secretary of the Central Obrera Boliviana trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
confederation. The Aranibar-Delgadillo ticket obtained 113,509 votes (7.2% of the national vote). IU won ten seats in the Chamber of Deputies
National Congress of Bolivia
The Plurinational Legislative Assembly also known as the National Congress is the national legislature of Bolivia, based in the nation's de facto capital, La Paz....
but no seats in the Senate. Three IU parliamentarians were elected from Cochabamba Department
Cochabamba Department
Cochabamba is one of the nine component departments of Bolivia. It is known to be the "granary" of the country because of its variety of agricultural products due to Cochabamba's geographical position. It has an area of 55,631 km². Its population, in the 2007 census, was 1,750,000...
, Chuquisaca Department
Chuquisaca Department
Chuquisaca is a department of Bolivia located in the center south. It borders on the departments of Cochabamba, Tarija, Potosí, and Santa Cruz. The departmental capital is Sucre, which is also the constitutional capital of Bolivia.-Geography:...
and Potosí Department
Potosí Department
Potosí Department is a department in southwestern Bolivia. It comprises 118,218 km² with 709,013 inhabitants . The capital is the city of Potosí....
, and one parliamentarian was elected from La Paz Department.
The coalition fell apart ahead of the municipal elections in December 1989, in which the different parties contested separately. IU was later revived, without MIR-BL in its fold.
By 1997 IU was largely moribund. However, ahead of the 1997 national elections candidates from the Assembly for the Sovereignty of the Peoples
Assembly for the Sovereignty of the Peoples
The Assembly for the Sovereignty of the Peoples was a political organization in Bolivia. It was formed as a "political instrument" of the popular movements of the country. Alejo Véliz was the national president of ASP.-History:...
(ASP) of Alejo Véliz
Alejo Véliz
Alejo Véliz Lazo is a Bolivian politician and activist. He is a member of the ASP party. Véliz is a former executive secretary of the Federación Sindical Única de Trabajadores Campesinos de Cochabamba , and former Secretary General of the Confederación Sindical Única de Trabajadores Campesinos de...
and Evo Morales
Evo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
were included on the lists of IU. ASP had unsuccessfully sought registration as a political party prior to the alliance with IU. Véliz was the presidential candidate for IU as well as being a candidate for parliament (on the proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
list). Four ASP members were elected to the Chamber of Deputies as IU candidates (all from the Chapare province
Chapare Province
Chapare, also called The Chapare and is pronounced Cha-pa-reh, is a rural province in the northern region of Cochabamba Department in central Bolivia. The majority of the territory consists of valley rainforests that surround the area's main waterway, the Chapare River, which is also a tributary of...
of Cochabamba Department
Cochabamba Department
Cochabamba is one of the nine component departments of Bolivia. It is known to be the "granary" of the country because of its variety of agricultural products due to Cochabamba's geographical position. It has an area of 55,631 km². Its population, in the 2007 census, was 1,750,000...
); Evo Morales, Román Loayza Caero
Román Loayza Caero
Román Loayza Caero is a Bolivian politician and farmer. He was a prominent leader in the farmers' trade union movement and one of the founders of the Movement for Socialism ....
, Félix Sanchéz Veizaga and Néstor Guzmán Villarroel
Néstor Guzmán Villarroel
Néstor Guzman Villarroel is a Bolivian politician and trade unionist. A tailor and farmer by profession, he became the press and propaganda secretary of the trade union in Chaguarmayu in 1984, then becoming the relations secretary of the Chaguarmayu trade union the following year...
.