BOLIVIAN POWER STRUGGLE THREATENS NEW VIOLENCE
clandestine rivalry between Bolivian juntaBarrientos and the commander of tbe armed forces, General Ovando, has burst into tbe open this week and is threatening to resolve itself by violence. Barrientos' position seems to be tbe stronger at tbe moment as recent events have worked to bis advantage, whllo Ovando has apparently made somemiscalculations.
Until tbe assassination attempt against cia onarch, Barrientos was losing support, and his efforts to forcepartiesoalition behind hia had foundered. Furthermore, tbe prevailing opinion within the cabinet and tbe military was thathad to resign from the junta if be wished to campaign for tbe presidency. News of tho shooting however, immediately rallied civilian and military sympathy for him.
Ovando's attempt toBarrientos as juntaonarch, plus his flirtation with tbe offerresidential nomination by center and rightist political parties, bas revealed histo Barrientos, and Is forcing all political parties
to define their positions. Barrientos' peasant supporters in Cochabamba and tbo Nationalist Revolutionary Movement (MMR) are calling for Ovando's dismissal.
mTTR leader Hernan Si lei Zuazo bas proposed aplan which includesthat elections be postponed, tbe cabinet be purged of Ovando supportera, and tbo armed forces high command be reorganized. Slles bas also recommended tbat Barrieotos resign from the Juntaater date and entrust tbe governmentriumvirate of solid Barrientos
The UNR bas called out Its armed militants to demonstrate on behalf of Barrientosbe returns to La Paz from Cochabamba. Tbe demonstrations are aimed at pressuringinto accepting tbeformula and atromloe of substantial MNR representationuture Tbe US Embassyviolence ln La Paz likelyesult of tbe
ar 65
(FEB m
CURRENT INTELLIGENCE WEEKLY 22
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