In July 1980, General Garcia Meza gained power in a Coup d’Etat known as the "Cocaine Coup" and established a regime of terror. A military junta forced Meza to resign in August 1981.

On May 1, 1981, Bolivia issued a set of stamps under the slogan "National Reconstruction” Two of the stamps show smashed "hammer and sickle" as a symbol of having defeated left-wing extremism in Bolivia. Before Meza, a leftist government was in power. Due to protests from ambassadors of communist countries, the two stamps were promptly withdrawn. The other two stamps were not affected.