Bolivia Profile Timeline - Key Events

Early History

• 1538: Spanish conquer Bolivia, becoming part of the Vice-royalty of Peru.
• 1545: Discovery of Silver Mountain (Cerro Rico) at Potosi brings immense wealth to Spain.

Independence and Early Republic

• 1824: Simon Bolivar liberates Bolivia from Spanish rule.
• 1825: Bolivia becomes independent; Simon Bolivar becomes president.
• 1836-39: Federation with Peru fails after Chile defeats Peru.

Territorial Changes

• 1879-84: Bolivia loses coastal territory to Chile, becoming landlocked.
• 1903: Bolivia loses Acre to Brazil.
• 1932-35: Chaco War results in loss of territory to Paraguay.

Mid-20th Century Political Turmoil

• 1952: Peasants and miners overthrow military regime; Victor Paz Estenssoro becomes president, introduces reforms.
• 1964: Rene Barrientos stages military coup.
• 1967: Ernesto "Che" Guevara's uprising suppressed.
• 1971: Hugo Banzer Suarez seizes power via military coup.
• 1980: Luis Garcia stages coup; international aid suspended due to corruption.
• 1982: Military hands over power to civilian government led by Siles Zuazo.

Economic Collapse and Recovery

• 1985: Siles resigns; Victor Paz Estenssoro becomes president again.
• 1986: Collapse of tin market causes job loss for 21,000 miners.
• 1989: Jaime Paz Zamora becomes president after power-sharing pact.
• 1990: Rainforest land allocated to indigenous peoples.
• 1993: Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada wins presidency.

Social and Political Developments

• 2000: Banzer announces coca eradication.
• 2001: Jorge Quiroga replaces Banzer.
• 2002: Sanchez de Lozada wins presidency; protests against income tax.
• 2003: Protests over natural gas plans lead to Sanchez de Lozada's resignation.

Socialist Governance

• 2005: Evo Morales wins presidential election; becomes first indigenous president.
• 2006: Morales nationalizes energy industry; initiates new constitution drafting.
• 2007-08: Clashes with miners; constitutional draft introduced.
• 2009: New constitution approved; Morales re-elected.
• 2010: Morales nationalizes electricity firms; protests against wage policies.

Recent Political Changes

• 2012: Morales nationalizes Spanish-owned power company; police strikes over pay.
• 2013: Law allows Morales to seek third term; expulsion of USAID.
• 2014: Morales wins third term; Bolivia seeks UN support for sea access claim.
• 2016: Voters reject constitutional changes for extending Morales' term.
• 2019: Morales resigns amid protests.
• 2020: Luis Arce wins presidential election, succeeding conservative rule.