Politics of Bolivia

The 1967 constitution, revised in 1994, provides for balanced executive, legislative, and judicial powers. The traditionally strong executive, however, tends to overshadow the Congress, whose role is generally limited to debating and approving legislation initiated by the executive. The judiciary, consisting of the Supreme Court and departmental and lower courts, has long been riddled with corruption and inefficiency. Through revisions to the constitution in 1994, and subsequent laws, the government has initiated potentially far-reaching reforms in the judicial system and processes.

Bolivia's nine departments received greater autonomy under the Administrative Decentralization law of 1995, although principal departmental officials are still appointed by the central government. Bolivian cities and towns are governed by elected mayors and councils. The most recent municipal elections took place in December 1999. The Popular Participation Law of April 1994, which distributes a significant portion of national revenues to municipalities for discretionary use, has enabled previously neglected communities to make striking improvements in their facilities and services.

Principal Government Officials
President--Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada
Vice President--Carlos Mesa

Bolivia maintains an embassy in the U.S. at 3014 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20008 (tel. 202-483-4410); consulates in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, New Orleans, and New York; and honorary consulates in Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Houston, Mobile, Seattle, St. Louis, and San Juan.

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Bolivia
conventional short form: Bolivia
local long form: Republica de Bolivia
local short form: Bolivia

Data code: BL

Government type: republic

Capital: La Paz (seat of government); Sucre (legal capital and seat of judiciary)

Administrative divisions: 9 departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Beni, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija

Independence: 6 August 1825 (from Spain)

National holiday: Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

Constitution: 2 February 1967; revised in August 1994

Legal system: based on Spanish law and Napoleonic Code; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal and compulsory (married); 21 years of age, universal and compulsory (single)

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada; Vice President Carlos Mesa; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada; Vice President Carlos Mesa; note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for five-year terms; election last held June 2002

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (Corte Suprema), judges appointed for 10-year terms by National Congress

Political parties and leaders: Alternative of Democratic Socialism or ASD [Jerjes Justiniano]; April 9 Revolutionary Vanguard or VR-9 [Carlos Serrate]; Bolivian Communist Party or PCB [Marcos Domic]; Bolivian Renovating Alliance or ARBOL [Marcelo Fernandez, Hugo Villegas]; Bolivian Socialist Falange or FSB [leader NA]; Christian Democrat or PDC [Benjamin Miguel]; Civic Solidarity Union or UCS [Johnny Fernandez]; Conscience of the Fatherland or CONDEPA [Remedios LOZA Alvarado]; Free Bolivia Movement or MBL [Antonio Aranibar]; Front of Katarista Unity or FULKA [Genaro Flores]; Front of National Salvation or FSN [Manual Morales Davila]; Katarismo National Unity or KND [Filepe Kittelson]; Movement of the Revolutionary Left or MIR [Oscar Eid]; Movement Towards Socialism-Popular Instrument for Solidarity with the People or MAS-IPSP [leader Evo Morales]; Nationalist Democratic Action or ADN [Enrique Toro]; Nationalist Katarista Movement or MKN [Fernando UNTOJA]; Nationalist Revolutionary Movement or MNR [Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada]; New Republican Force or NFR [Manfred Reyes Villa]; New Youth Force [Alfonso Saavedra Bruno]; Patriotic Axis of Convergence or EJE-P [Ramiro Barranechea]; Popular Patriotic Movement or MPP [Julio Mantilla]; Revolutionary Front of the Left or FRI [Oscar Zamora]; Socialist Party One or PS-1 [leader NA]; Solidarity and Democracy or SYD [leader NA]; Tupac Katari Revolutionary Liberation Movement or MRTK-L [Victor Hugo Cardenas Conde]; United Left or IU [Marcos Domic]; Unity and Progress Movement or MUP [Ivo Kuljis]
note: political blocs include: left - MBL, EJE-P, VR-9, ASD, FRI, PCB, IU, FSN, PS-1, FSB, and MAS; center left - MIR, PDC, and New Youth Force; center - MNR; center right - ADN and NFR; populist - UCS, CONDEPA, SYD, MUP, and MPP; evangelical - ARBOL; indigenous - MRTK-L, MKN, and KND

Political pressure groups and leaders: Cocalero Group

International organization participation: CAN, ECLAC, FAO, G-11, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Marlene Fernandez del Granado
chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410
FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712
consulate(s) general: Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco

Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador David N. Greenlee
embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, San Jorge, La Paz
mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032
telephone: [591] (2) 430251
FAX: [591] (2) 433900

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with the coat of arms centered on the yellow band; similar to the flag of Ghana, which has a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band

Reference Much of the material in this article comes from the CIA World Factbook 2000 and the 2003 U.S. Department of State website.

See also : list of presidents of Bolivia