Bolivia: March for constitutional reform - timeline
Searching more than 75 years of world history
- August 2008. President Evo Morales is confirmed in office by a referendum.
- June 2008. Constitutional conflict spreads as three more hydrocarbon resource-rich eastern provinces - Beni, Pando, and Tarija (all dominated by the wealthy descendants of Spanish colonialists) - vote for more autonomy in an attempt to scupper Morales's plans to redistribute wealth to the indigenous population. President Morales continues with the nationalisation of the country's energy sector.
- May 2008. An unofficial referendum in Santa Cruz province is won by supporters of regional autonomy.
- January 2008. Talks to resolve the constitutional conflict between the central government and the breakaway regional legislatures collapse.
- December 2007. The constituent assembly approves Morales's proposed new constitution, which would enable a president to serve two five-year terms, would permit greater state control of the economy, and would provide more rights for Bolivia's indigenous communities. Representatives of right-wing opposition parties boycott the session.
- August 2007. Morales launches a land redistribution programme.
- May 2007. The Bolivian government expands its control over the hydrocarbons sector as Morales manages the transfer of two Brazilian energy companies to government control.
- April 2007. Morales nationalises Bolivia's largest telecommunications company.
- May 2006. Morales nationalises the hydrocarbons sector. Foreign energy firms are given six months to sell at least 51 per cent of their holdings to the government and negotiate new terms. The government of Spain objects.
- March 2006. Bolivia's attorney general charges three former Bolivian presidents with signing 44 illegal contracts with foreign oil companies.
- December 2005. Morales, an Aymara and the first indigenous person to be elected head of state, achieves a decisive victory in presidential elections, winning almost 54 per cent of the vote in the first round.
- May 2005. Congress and the Chamber of Deputies (the bicameral legislature) pass a bill imposing a 32 per cent tax on foreign oil and gas investors, in addition to 18 per cent royalties. Foreign energy companies threaten retaliation but decide not to withdraw their investments. The bill is signed by Senate President Hormando Vaca after President Carlos Mesa refuses to endorse it.
- October 2004. The government of President Mesa and coca growers from the Chapare region led by Evo Morales reach an agreement under which growers will eradicate 3,000 hectares of coca plantations while 3,200 hectares are permitted to remain undisturbed pending completion of a study on traditional coca uses, such as making tea.
- July 2004. In a referendum, Bolivians approve plans to nationalise the hydrocarbons sector, and increase taxes and royalties on the sector.
- October 2003. At least 80 people are killed during a month of clashes between security forces and demonstrators in and around the capital, La Paz. President Gonzálo Sánchez de Lozada resigns.
- September 2003. There is an upsurge in political instability, racial tension, and violent protests demanding that pledges of support for local farmers are fulfilled and opposing plans to export natural gas to the USA.
- August 2002. Gonzálo Sánchez de Lozada wins the second round of presidential elections.
- June 2002. The first round of presidential elections results in an almost equal distribution of votes for three candidates: Gonzálo Sánchez de Lozada of the MNR receives about 22.5 per cent of the vote; Evo Morales of Movement Towards Socialism some 21 per cent; and Manfred Reyes Villa, of the New Republican Force just under 21 per cent.
- May 2001. Large natural gas deposits are discovered in Tarija, south Bolivia, reportedly one of the largest gas fields ever discovered in mainland South America.
- March 2000. Bolivia signs an agreement increasing the amount of natural gas it exports to Brazil.
- February 1999. Brazilian President Fernando Henrique Cardoso and Bolivian President Gen. Hugo Bánzer Sáurez inaugurate a natural gas pipeline from Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia) to Sáo Paulo (Brazil) and sign a treaty allowing for 8 million cubic metres a year of Bolivian natural gas to be exported to Brazil.
- August 1997. Congress overwhelmingly confirms former military dictator Bánzer, of the right-wing Democratic Nationalist Action (ADN), as president.
- June 1997. Bánzer, in an effort to secure the presidency after failing to win elections outright, forms a post-election pact with three parties to form a coalition government.
- October 1996. President Gonzálo Sánchez de Lozada's agrarian reform package passes only after he makes concessions weakening it, in the face of violent opposition from rural workers and other groups.
- August 1993. Sánchez de Lozada is sworn in as president for a four-year term.
- August 1989. Jaime Paz Zamora becomes president.
- January 1986. President Victor Paz Estenssoro appoints a new cabinet, charging it with controlling inflation and consolidating the government's austerity programme.
- August 1985. Paz Estenssoro becomes president. A major monetary and economic crisis leads to austerity measures to curb 14,000 per cent-a-year inflation. The repercussions lead to a general strike a month later, which the government eventually counters in November by imposing martial law.
- December 1983. The cabinet resigns after political turmoil and mass strikes.
- October 1982. Civilian rule is restored, putting an end to 30 years of military dictatorships after the electoral court recognises the 1980 elections as legitimate.
- July 1980. The armed forces seize power, nullifying a vote that would have given the moderate-left Democratic Popular Unity (UDP) party the largest number of votes. Instead a military junta headed by Gen. Luis Garca Meza is installed.
- November 1979. After just three months in office, President Walter Guevara Arce is overthrown and replaced by Col Natusch Busch. Troops occupy the presidential palace and other public buildings in La Paz. Busch imposes martial law and disbands Congress after it passes a resolution of support for Guevara as constitutional head of state.
- July 1979. The results of presidential elections are inconclusive. Guevara Arce, a civilian, is appointed president.
- July 1975. Military president Bánzer says that the armed forces will hand over power to civilians in 1980 and he will allow elections in which all parties except 'extremists' are allowed to take part. The government releases 49 political prisoners, saying that only 60 more remain in detention.
- January 1974. President Bánzer declares a state of siege giving special powers to the police and armed forces after rural workers barricade the three main roads leading to Cochabamba (the country's second largest city) in protest at new economic measures.
- August 1971. Col Hugo Bánzer assumes the presidency following a coup, reportedly the 193rd coup since Bolivia became independent in 1825.
- September 1969. President Luis Adolfo Siles Salinas is ousted in a bloodless coup.
- April 1969. Luis Adolfo Siles becomes president following the death in a helicopter crash of Gen. Rene Barrientos
- October 1967. Bolivian units capture and kill Ernesto ('Che') Guevara, the Cuban revolutionary leader.
- November 1964. President Victor Paz Estenssoro is overthrown in a bloodless military revolt and flees the country. He is succeeded by a military junta headed by Vice-President Gen. Rene Barrientos, who forms an all-military cabinet. Estenssoro's dismissal is preceded by violent anti-government rioting by students and miners at tin-mining centre of Oruro, Sucre province.
- May 1964. Incumbent President Paz Estenssoro is re-elected unopposed to a third four-year term after all opposition parties drop out of the presidential election and call for it to be boycotted.
- October 1952. The three largest tin-mining concerns in Bolivia are nationalised.
- April 1952. The MNR overthrows Bolivia's military junta. Paz Estenssoro assumes the presidency at the invitation of the MNR. He declares that one of his first acts of will be to set up a commission to prepare the nationalisation of the country's tin mines.
- August 1951. Paz Estenssoro narrowly wins presidential elections, but without a sufficient majority to take power, which is handed to a military government.
- August 1938. Paraguayan and Bolivian voters ratify the treaty ending the Chaco War.
- July 1938. A final treaty between Bolivia and Paraguay to end the Chaco War is drawn up.
- June 1935. After the much smaller Paraguayan army ejects Bolivian forces from the Chaco, a ceasefire is agreed.
- June 1932. Paraguay declares war on Bolivia, starting the three-year Chaco War.
- August 1825. Bolivia gains independence.
