Cabinet of Germán Busch

Busch cabinet
98th–100th Cabinet of the Republic of Bolivia
1937–1939
Date formed	13 July 1937 (1937-07-13)
Date dissolved	23 August 1939 (1939-08-23)
People and organisations
President	Germán Busch
Vice President	Vacant (1937–1938) Enrique Baldivieso (1938–1939) Vacant
No. of ministers	11 (on 23 August 1939)
Total no. of members	25 (including former members)
Member parties	United Socialist Party (PSU) Socialist Republican Party (PRS)
Status in legislature	Majority government
History
Legislature term(s)	1938–1939
Predecessor	Cabinet of David Toro
Successor	Cabinet of Carlos Quintanilla (interim)

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Germán Busch assumed office as the 36th President of Bolivia on 13 July 1937, and his term was cut short by his death on 23 August 1939. A young military officer during the Chaco War, Busch attempted to champion the cause of Military Socialism brought forth by his predecessor David Toro but, unhappy with the results produced by his few reforms, opted to declare himself dictator in April 1939 before committing suicide four months later.

Busch formed three cabinets during his 25-month presidency, constituting the 98th to 100th national cabinets of Bolivia as part of the 1936–1938 Government Junta.^[1][2]

Cabinet Ministers

Cabinet of Bolivia Presidency of Germán Busch, 1937–1939
Office		Minister	Party		Prof.	Term	Days	N.C[a]	P.C[b]
President		Germán Busch		Mil-Soc.	Mil.	13 July 1937 – 23 August 1939	771	–	–
Vice President		Office vacant 13 July 1937 – 28 May 1938
		Enrique Baldivieso		PSU	Law.	28 May 1938 – 24 April 1939	331
		Office vacant 24 April 1939 – 23 August 1939
Secretary-General of the Junta		Gabriel Gosálvez		PSU	Eco.	13 July 1937 – 12 August 1938	395	98	1
		Office discontinued from 12 August 1938
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship (Chancellor)	Minister of Propaganda	Enrique Baldivieso[3]		PSU	Law.	13 July 1937 – 14 December 1937	154	98	1
		Eduardo Díez de Medina		–	Law.	14 December 1937 – 23 August 1939	617	99	2
	–							100	3
Minister of Government and Justice	–	Félix Tabera		Mil-Soc.	Mil.	13 July 1937 – 19 July 1937	6	98	1
		César B. Menacho		Mil-Soc.	Mil.	19 July 1937 – 12 August 1938	389
								99	2
	Minister of Propaganda	Gabriel Gosálvez[c]		PSU	Eco.	12 August 1938 – 18 March 1939	218	100	3
		Vicente Leyton		–	Law.	18 March 1939 – 15 April 1940	394		3[d]
Minister of National Defense		Secundino Olmos		Mil-Soc.	Mil.	13 July 1937 – 12 August 1938	395	98	1
								99	2
		Felipe Manuel Rivera		Mil-Soc.	Mil.	12 August 1938 – 23 August 1939	376	100	3
Minister of Finance and Statistics		Federico Gutiérrez Granier		PL	–	13 July 1937 – 23 November 1937	133	98	1
		Eduardo Belmont Baldivia		–	Law.	23 November 1937 – 12 August 1938	262	99	2
		Vicente Mendoza López		Ind.	Eco.	12 August 1938 – 31 March 1939	231	100	3
		Santiago Schulze Arana		–	Eco.	31 March 1939 – 23 August 1939	145
Minister of Industry and Commerce		Angel Ayoroa		Mil-Soc.	Mil.	13 July 1937 – 23 November 1937	133	98	1
		Alfredo Peñaranda		Mil-Soc.	Mil.	23 November 1937 – 12 August 1938	262	99	2
		Vicente Leyton		–	Law.	12 August 1938 – 18 March 1939	218	100	3
		Luis Herrero		–	–	18 March 1939 – 23 August 1939	158
Minister of Development	Minister of Communications	Luis Campero		Mil-Soc.	Mil.	13 July 1937 – 12 August 1938	395	98	1
								99	2
Minister of Public Works		Walter Méndez		Mil-Soc.	Mil.	12 August 1938 – 23 August 1939	376	100	3
Minister of Mining and Petrol		Felipe Manuel Rivera		Mil-Soc.	Mil.	13 July 1937 – 12 August 1938	395	98	1
								99	2
		Dionisio Foianini[e]		–	Bus.	12 August 1938 – 23 August 1939	376	100	3
Minister of Work and Social Security	–	Daniel Sossa		Mil-Soc.	Mil.	13 July 1937 – 12 August 1938	395	98	1
								99	2
	Minister of Sanitation	Alberto Zelada		Mil-Soc.	Mil.	12 August 1938 – 20 March 1939	220	100	3
		Roberto Jordán Cuéllar		PSU	–	20 March 1939 – 23 August 1939	156
Minister of Health and Hygiene		Office blank 13 July 1937 – 22 August 1938
		Alfredo Mollinedo		PSU	Dr.	22 August 1938 – 15 April 1940	602	100	3[d]
Minister of Education and Indigenous Affairs		Alfredo Peñaranda		Mil-Soc.	Mil.	12 October 1936 – 23 November 1937	133	97[f]	1[g]
		Héctor Ormachea Zalles		–	Law.	23 November 1937 – 12 August 1938	262	99	2
		Bernardo Navajas Trigo		PL	Law.	12 August 1938 – 15 April 1940	977	100	3[d]
Minister of Agriculture, Colonization, and Immigration		César B. Menacho		Mil-Soc.	Mil.	13 July 1937 – 19 July 1937	6	98	1
		Walter Méndez		Mil-Soc.	Mil.	19 July 1937 – 12 August 1938	389
								99	2
		Julio Salmón[h]		PL	Law.	12 August 1938 – 23 August 1939	376	100	3

Composition

First cabinet

Having secured the resignation of President David Toro on 13 July 1937, Germán Busch entered the Palacio Quemado and established his first cabinet. The government was a mixture of leftist military officers and members of the United Socialist Party (PSU) which had collaborated with the Toro regime.^[7]

The Council of Ministers formed by Germán Busch indicated a continued struggle his regime faced in pinpointing a clear ideology.^[8] Politically, Busch appointed ministers generally in line with the moderate socialism of Toro, choosing the head of the PSU Enrique Baldivieso as foreign minister and the moderate socialist Gabriel Gosálvez as secretary-general. However, at the same time, he appointed such figures as the right-wing Federico Gutiérrez Granier in the crucial office of Minister of Finance, a position the Liberal politician would use to undo many of the consumer goods subsidies of the Toro regime. Minister of Agriculture Julio Salmón and Minister of Education Bernardo Navajas Trigo were also Liberals.

Second cabinet

The cabinet was renewed on 23 November 1937. Three ministerial positions were changed: Federico Gutiérrez Granier with Eduardo Belmont Baldivia as Minister of Finance, Angel Ayoroa with Alfredo Peñaranda as Minister of Industry, with Peñaranda's former position as Minister of Education being filled by Héctor Ormachea Zalles. The following month on 14 December, Foreign Minister Enrique Baldivieso was exchanged with Eduardo Díez de Medina who had served in the position once before.^[9]

During this period starting on 23 May, the National Convention of 1938 would be held and charged with rewriting the constitution.^[10] On 27 May, the National Convention would proclaim Busch constitutional president with Enrique Baldivieso as vice president.^[11]

Third cabinet

Busch's third cabinet was formed on 12 August 1938.^[12] Gabriel Gosálvez would be appointed Minister of Government and Justice as well as Propaganda which had previously been under the purview of the Foreign Ministry. No Secretary-General was appointed to replace him. Multiple health related ministries would be established as part of this cabinet. Upon the formation of the cabinet on 12 August, the new Minister of Labor Alberto Zelada would also be appointed to the position of Minister of Sanitation. Ten days later on 22 August, a dedicated Ministry of Health and Hygiene would be established with Alfredo Mollinedo appointed to head the position.^[13]

On 30 October, the National Convention would promulgate the new constitution.^[14] While the constitution would remain in effect until 1945, Busch would dismiss the national assembly on 24 April 1939 and declare himself dictator.^[15] Busch's presidency would come to an end four months later when he committed suicide. General Carlos Quintanilla would take hold of the presidency in the interim period and the majority of the Busch cabinet, save for Alfredo Mollinedo, Bernardo Navjas Trigo, Vicente Leyton, and Felipe Manuel Rivera, would be dismissed.

Established Ministries

• Office of Sanitation (under Work and Social Security): Alberto Zelada, first holder from 12 August 1938^[12]
• Ministry of Health and Hygiene: Alfredo Mollinedo (PSU), first holder from 22 August 1938^[13]

Gallery

• 
  Enrique Baldivieso – Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs (PSU)
• 
  Eduardo Díez de Medina – Minister of Foreign Affairs
• 
  Gabriel Gosálvez – Minister of Government and Secretary-General (PSU)
• 
  Felipe Manuel Rivera – Minister of National Defense and Minister of Mining
• 
  Vicente Mendoza López – Minister of Finance
• 
  Angel Ayoroa – Minister of Industry
• 
  Dionisio Foianini – Minister of Mining
• 
  Héctor Ormachea Zalles – Minister of Education
• 
  Bernardo Navajas Trigo – Minister of Education (PL)
• 
  Daniel Sossa – Minister of Work
• 
  Julio Salmón – Minister of Agriculture (PL)

Notes

References

Bibliography

• Gisbert, Carlos D. Mesa (2003). Presidentes de Bolivia: entre urnas y fusiles : el poder ejecutivo, los ministros de estado (in Spanish). Editorial Gisbert. pp. 342–344.