Us-Bolivia Relations: Carlos Mesa's Stance

Carlos Mesa is a Bolivian politician, historian, and journalist who served as the country's vice president from 2002 to 2003 and then as its constitutional president from 2003 to 2005. Mesa's government amended the constitution, passed referendums on hydrocarbons and the direct election of mayors, and instituted human rights as state policy. He overcame a high fiscal deficit, doubled exports, and revitalized the economy. Mesa has written several books on topics ranging from Bolivian history to Latin American cinema and contributed to the country's maritime demand against Chile. While there is no direct evidence of Mesa being pro-US, he did agree with his predecessor on the highly unpopular US-backed campaign to eradicate illegal coca production.

Carlos Mesa is a historian, politician and journalist

Carlos Mesa is a Bolivian historian, politician and journalist. He was born in La Paz, Bolivia, in 1953 and graduated with a degree in literature from the Universidad Mayor de San Andrés de La Paz. He is a member of the Bolivian Academy and Society of History and has authored more than fifteen books and over a hundred documentaries for TV. Mesa has also been recognised for his journalistic work, receiving the King of Spain International Journalism Award and Bolivia's National Journalism Award.

Mesa began his journalistic career in 1976, when he co-founded the Cinemateca Boliviana. He has since worked in print, radio and television journalism, serving as deputy director of the newspaper Ultima Hora and director of three TV channels: America TV, Telesistema Boliviano, and ATB. In 1990, he co-founded the Associated Journalists Television enterprise (PAT).

Mesa entered politics in 2002, running as an independent vice-presidential candidate. He was elected vice president and president of the national congress, and in 2003, following a political crisis, he became the constitutional president of Bolivia. As president, Mesa amended the constitution, convened a constituent assembly, and held referendums on hydrocarbons and the direct election of mayors. He also oversaw economic reforms, doubling exports and reducing the fiscal deficit. Mesa resigned from the presidency in 2005 but returned to politics in 2019, running for president. He has since led the Civic Community, Bolivia's largest opposition parliamentary group.

Mesa was the 63rd President of Bolivia from 2003 to 2005

Carlos Mesa Gisbert, a Bolivian historian, journalist, and politician, served as the 63rd President of Bolivia from 2003 to 2005. He was born in La Paz, Bolivia, on 12 August 1953. Mesa began his journalistic career after graduating from university and rose to national fame in 1983 as the host of De Cerca, where he interviewed prominent figures of Bolivian political and cultural life.

Mesa entered politics in 2002 as an independent vice-presidential candidate, serving from 2002 to 2003 under Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada. He was then elected as the 63rd President of Bolivia on 17 October 2003, following a dramatic political crisis that led to the resignation of Sánchez de Lozada. Mesa's administration focused on amending the Constitution, convening a Constituent Assembly, promoting departmental autonomy, and addressing economic issues.

During his presidency, Mesa amended the Constitution to allow for a Constituent Assembly and enable referendums and citizen legislative initiatives. He held a referendum on hydrocarbons, resulting in the recovery of hydrocarbon ownership by the state and increased taxes for international operators. Mesa also promoted departmental autonomy, initiating the direct election of departmental governors.

On the economic front, Mesa's government overcame a severe fiscal deficit, doubled exports, and reduced the fiscal deficit. He instituted human rights and the value of life as state policies. Despite these achievements, Mesa faced challenges in implementing his agenda due to opposition from traditional parties and social movements.

Mesa resigned from the presidency in June 2005, citing difficulties in governing amid widespread dissatisfaction and unrest. However, he remained active in politics and was a presidential candidate in the 2019 and 2020 elections. Mesa's political stance has been described as centrist, and he has expressed a willingness to work with various ideological partners for the benefit of Bolivia.

He amended the Constitution, passed referenda on hydrocarbons, and convened a Constituent Assembly

Carlos Mesa, a Bolivian historian, journalist, and politician, served as the 63rd president of Bolivia from 2003 to 2005. Mesa's government amended the Constitution, passed referenda on hydrocarbons, and convened a Constituent Assembly.

Mesa's government amended the Constitution to allow for a constituent assembly and the ability to call for either a citizen legislative initiative or a referendum. The government also passed referenda on hydrocarbons, the direct election of mayors, and a constituent assembly. Mesa's government overcame a high fiscal deficit, revitalized the economy, doubled exports, and instituted human rights as state policy.

Mesa assumed office with broadly popular civic support but led a government without a party base and devoid of organic parliamentary support. This left him with little room to maneuver as his public policy proposals were severely restricted by the legislature, controlled by traditional parties and increasingly organized regional and social movements. Mesa's inability to find a compromise with the National Congress, especially after his break in relations with the MAS, led him to call for an early end to his term.

Mesa's government overcame a high fiscal deficit, doubled exports, and made human rights a state policy

Carlos Mesa, a historian, journalist, and politician, served as the 63rd president of Bolivia from 2003 to 2005. Mesa's government overcame a high fiscal deficit, doubled exports, and made human rights a state policy.

Mesa's government inherited a challenging economic situation, with a fiscal deficit of 8.7% of GDP at the start of 2003. To address this, Mesa implemented a range of measures, including reducing his own salary as president, cutting the wages of high officials, and imposing new taxes on high-income earners. By the end of his term in 2005, the fiscal deficit had been significantly reduced to 2.4%.

Mesa's administration also focused on boosting exports. During his presidency, Bolivia amended the Constitution, passed referendums on hydrocarbons, and direct elections of mayors. These reforms, along with Mesa's economic policies, contributed to a revitalisation of the economy. As a result, exports doubled during his time in office.

In addition to economic reforms, Mesa's government prioritised human rights. They worked to strengthen democratic institutions and make human rights a state policy. Mesa's administration also cooperated with international organisations, such as Human Rights Watch, to investigate and address human rights abuses, particularly those committed during protests and civil unrest.

Overall, Mesa's government was successful in addressing the high fiscal deficit, boosting exports, and promoting human rights in Bolivia. These achievements contributed to the revitalisation of the Bolivian economy and the strengthening of democratic institutions in the country.

He was a candidate in the 2019 and 2020 presidential elections

Carlos Mesa was a candidate in the 2019 and 2020 Bolivian presidential elections. Mesa, a centrist candidate, was the runner-up in the 2019 election, losing to Luis Arce, the candidate for the Movement for Socialism (MAS) party. The election was a re-run of the chaotic October 2019 election that led to the resignation and exile of the incumbent, left-wing president Evo Morales.

Mesa's 2019 campaign focused on denouncing Morales' bid for a fourth term as illegal, given that voters had rejected abolishing term limits in 2016. Mesa also promoted the strengthening of democratic institutions, environmental protection, and addressing corruption.

In the 2020 election, Mesa again came in second place, losing to Arce in the first round. Mesa's campaign was hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic, which kept it largely virtual, and the candidacy of Luis Fernando Camacho, which siphoned support from Santa Cruz. Mesa's loss was also attributed to the passive nature of his campaign, and the unpopularity of the interim government.

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