Bautista Saavedra Mallea (30 August 1870 in Sorata – 1 March 1939)[4] was a Bolivian lawyer and politician who served as the 29th president of Bolivia from 1921 to 1925.

Essentially, the split was due to opposition to the largely personalist, centralized, and caudillo-like governing style of Saavedra.

He quickly expelled from the country most top-leaders of the Genuino party, and often made use of extra-constitutional means to remain in power.

Unable to run for re-election in 1925, Saavedra did the next best thing and made sure a hand-picked successor would follow him, presumably one firmly under his thumb.

His first choice, Gabino Villanueva, failed to be sufficiently pliable for the President's liking, and Saavedra annulled the 1925 elections on a technicality.