Tomás Monje

Tomás Monje Gutierréz (1884-1959) was President of Bolivia between August 1946 and March 1947. Born in Coroico, department of La Paz, he was a noted intellectual and judge. In his capacity as head of the La Paz Court of Appeals, he was named President by the forces that toppled President Gualberto Villarroel via coup d'état on July 21, 1946. Monje happened to be ill at the time, however, which is why his deputy, Néstor Guillén, filled in for him for 27 days, until Monje was well enough to be sworn in August of the same year. Very much a caretaker president, Monje Gutiérrez was charged with the simple task of calling elections as soon as possible. This done, he transferred power to the winner of the January 1947 electoral contest, the conservative Enrique Hertzog. At that point Monje returned to relative obscurity, dying in La Paz on July 1, 1959.

Source

*Mesa José de; Gisbert, Teresa; and Carlos D. Mesa, "Historia de Bolivia", 3rd edition. pp. 577-578.