Bolivia's May 31 election was approaching, and it was time for President Victor Paz Estenssoro, running for a third term, to demonstrate that for all practical purposes he had disarmed his most violent opposition. Climbing into his DC-3, he flew to Oruro (pop. 81,000), market center of the country's tin-mining area and for years a stronghold of rebel Vice President Juan Lechin and his Communist-dominated mining unions. For good measure Paz invited U.S. Ambassador Douglas Henderson to come along as his guest.
Neither had anything to fear. Communist agitators were conspicuous by their absence. A confetti-tossing crowd of 5,000 greeted...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
