1978 Bolivian general election

{{short description|none}}

{{use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}

{{Infobox election

| country = Bolivia

| flag_year = state

| previous_election = 1966 Bolivian general election

| previous_year = 1966

| election_date = 9 July 1978

| next_election = 1979 Bolivian general election

| next_year = 1979

| module = {{Infobox election

| embed = yes

| election_name = Presidential election

| type = presidential

| turnout = 102.62%{{efn|The final tally established that more votes were cast than the total number of registered citizens.{{Cite book|last=Gisbert|first=Carlos D. Mesa |author-link=Carlos Mesa |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=81F7AAAAMAAJ|title=Presidentes de Bolivia: entre urnas y fusiles : el poder ejecutivo, los ministros de estado|date=2003|publisher=Editorial Gisbert|isbn=|location=|pages=|language=es|page=159}}}}

| image1 =

| nominee1 = Juan Pereda

| party1 = UNP{{efn|Coalition consisting of CUN, MPC, PL, PSC, PURS, UNB, and pro-military factions of the FSB, MNR, and PRA.{{Cite book|last=Nohlen|first=Dieter|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=j_MTDAAAQBAJ|title=Elections in the Americas: A Data Handbook: Volume 2 South America|date=2005-04-14|publisher=OUP Oxford|isbn=978-0-19-928358-3|language=en|page=150}}}}
MNRP

| running_mate1 = {{nowrap|Alfredo Franco Guachalla}}
Jaime Arellano{{efn|On its ballot, the MNRP presented its leader, Jaime Arellano, as Pereda's running mate instead of Alfredo Franco Guachalla.}}

| popular_vote1 = 1,027,045{{efn|The MNRP presented Juan Pereda as their candidate on a separate ballot from the UNP, resulting in different vote totals. Pereda won 986,140 votes (50.90%) on the UNP ballot and 40,905 (2.11%) votes on the MNRP ballot.}}

| percentage1 = 53.01%

| colour1 = 008000

| image2 = Hernán Siles Zuazo2.png

| nominee2 = Hernán Siles Zuazo

| party2 = FUDP{{efn|Coalition consisting of more than 11 parties including MNRI, MIR, PCB, MPLN, VO, and PS-A.}}

| running_mate2 = Edil Sandóval Morón

| popular_vote2 = 484,383

| percentage2 = 25.01%

| colour2 = FFA500

| image4 = Víctor Paz Estenssoro (1964) - CROPPED.jpg

| nominee4 = Víctor Paz Estenssoro

| party4 = ADRN{{efn|Coalition consisting of MNR and PRA.}}

| running_mate4 = Wálter Guevara

| popular_vote4 = 213,622

| percentage4 = 11.03%

| colour4 = F19CBB

| image5 =

| nominee5 = {{nowrap|René Bernal Escalante}}

| party5 = PDC–PRB
PRO{{efn|René Bernal Escalante did not accept this candidacy, but nonetheless received votes.}}

| running_mate5 = Remo Di Natale

| popular_vote5 = 168,302{{efn|The PRO presented René Bernal Escalante as their candidate on a separate ballot from the PDC, resulting in different vote totals. Bernal won 167,131 votes (8.63%) on the PDC-PRB ballot and 1,171 votes (0.06%) on the PRO ballot.}}

| percentage5 = 8.69%

| colour5 = 006167

| title = President

| before_election = Hugo Banzer

| after_election = Election results annulled
{{Small|Juan Pereda becomes de facto president}}

}}}}{{Politics of Bolivia}}

General elections were held in Bolivia on 9 July 1978.{{sfn|Nohlen|2005|p=133}} The elections were the first held since 1966, with several military coups taking place during the late 1960s and early 1970s.{{sfn|Nohlen|2005|p=133}} Although Juan Pereda of the Nationalist Union of the People won the presidential elections according to official statements, more votes were cast than there were registered voters.{{sfn|Nohlen|2005|p=143}} After examining a number of allegations of fraud and other irregularities, the National Electoral Court decided to annul the results on 19 July.{{cite news |title=Bolivia's Presidential Election Annulled— Court Responds to Fraud Charges, Orders New Vote |agency= AP |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=July 20, 1978 |page=I-4 |quote=LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP)— The National Election Court annulled Bolvia's July 9 presidential election Wednesday night and called for another vote within 180 days.}}{{cite book | last =Morales | first =Waltraud Q | author-link = | title =A Brief History of Bolivia | year =2003 | publisher =Facts On File | location =New York | isbn = |page=195}} The following day, Pereda was installed as President following a military coup. Pereda himself was overthrown by yet another military coup in November, which saw General David Padilla assume the presidency.{{sfn|Nohlen|2005|p=157}} Fresh elections were held the following year, with Padilla transferring power to his democratically elected successor, Wálter Guevara.