Government and Politics of Bolivia

Government Type

republic

Administrative Divisions

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

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)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 3 years

Executive Branch

chief of state: President Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora (since 8 November 2020); Vice President David CHOQUEHUANCA Cespedes (since 8 November 2020); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government head of government: President Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora (since 8 November 2020); Vice President David CHOQUEHUANCA Cespedes (since 8 November 2020); note - the president is both 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 on 18 October 2020 (next to be held in 2025) election results: Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora elected president; percent of vote - Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora (MAS) 55.1%; Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert (CC) 28.8%; Luis Fernando CAMACHO Vaca (Creemos) 14.0%; other 2.1%

Legislative Branch

Bicameral Plurinational Legislative Assembly or Asamblea Legislativa Plurinacional consists of the Chamber of Senators or Cámara de Senadores (36 seats; members are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms) and the Chamber of Deputies or Cámara de Diputados (130 seats; 70 are directly elected from single-member districts and 60 are elected by proportional representation from party lists, with 7 seats reserved for indigenous minority representatives; members serve five-year terms). Elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies — last held on 18 October 2020 (next to be held in 2025). Election results: Chamber of Senators — percent of vote by party — MAS-IPSP 55.1%, CC 28.8%, Creemos 14.0%; seats by party — MAS-IPSP 21, CC 11, Creemos 4. Chamber of Deputies — percent of vote by party — MAS-IPSP 55.1%, CC 28.8%, Creemos 14.0%; seats by party — MAS-IPSP 75, CC 39, Creemos 16. Note: The body was renamed and restructured under Bolivia's 2009 constitution, which replaced the former National Congress with the current Plurinational Legislative Assembly, reflecting the country's reconstitution as a plurinational state.

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (judges appointed for 10-year terms by National Congress); District Courts (one in each department); provincial and local courts (to try minor cases)

Political Parties

Bolivian Socialist Falange or FSB [Romel PANTOJA]; Civic Solidarity Union or UCS [Johnny FERNANDEZ]; Free Bolivia Movement or MBL [Franz BARRIOS]; Marshal of Ayacucho Institutional Vanguard or VIMA [Freddy ZABALA]; Movement of the Revolutionary Left or MIR [Jaime PAZ Zamora]; Movement Toward Socialism or MAS [Juan Evo MORALES Ayma]; Movement Without Fear or MSM [Juan DEL GRANADO]; National Revolutionary Movement or MNR [Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA]; New Republican Force or NFR [Manfred REYES-VILLA]; Pachakuti Indigenous Movement or MIP [Felipe QUISPE Huanca]; Poder Democratico Nacional or PODEMOS [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez]; Socialist Party or PS [Jeres JUSTINIANO]

Head of State

President Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora

Head of Government

President Luis Alberto ARCE Catacora

Cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

Elections

Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies — last held on 18 October 2020 (next to be held in 2025).

Election Results

Chamber of Senators — percent of vote by party — MAS-IPSP 55.1%, CC 28.8%, Creemos 14.0%; seats by party — MAS-IPSP 21, CC 11, Creemos 4. Chamber of Deputies — percent of vote by party — MAS-IPSP 55.1%, CC 28.8%, Creemos 14.0%; seats by party — MAS-IPSP 75, CC 39, Creemos 16. These results reflect the October 2020 general election, in which Luis Arce of MAS-IPSP won the presidency with approximately 55% of the vote, restoring the party to power following the political upheaval of 2019. Note: The legislative body was renamed and restructured under Bolivia's 2009 constitution, which replaced the former National Congress with the current Plurinational Legislative Assembly, reflecting the country's reconstitution as a plurinational state. Bolivia's next general elections are scheduled for 2025, with MAS-IPSP navigating internal divisions between factions aligned with former president Evo Morales and incumbent president Luis Arce ahead of that vote.

Constitution

2 February 1967; revised in August 1994

Independence

6 August 1825 (from Spain)

National Holiday

Independence Day, 6 August (1825)

International Organization Participation

CAN, FAO, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur (associate), MONUC, NAM, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIL, UNMISET, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime APARICIO Otero chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410 FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712 consulate(s) general: Houston, Miami, New York, Oklahoma City, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington, DC

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

chief of mission: Ambassador David N. GREENLEE embassy: Avenida Arce 2780, La Paz mailing address: P. O. Box 425, La Paz; APO AA 34032 telephone: [591] (2) 216-8000 FAX: [591] (2) 216-8111

Capital City

La Paz (administrative capital); Sucre (constitutional [legislative and judicial] capital)

Location

16 30 S, 68 09 W

Time Difference

UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

History

La Paz is a shortening of the original name of the city, Nuestra Senora de La Paz (Our Lady of Peace); Sucre is named after Antonio Jose de SUCRE (1795-1830), military hero in the independence struggle from Spain and the second president of Bolivia note: at approximately 3,630 m above sea level, La Paz's elevation makes it the highest capital city in the world

U.S. Embassy La Paz Avenida Arce 2780, La Paz, Bolivia Telephone: 591-2-216-8246 After Hours Emergency Number:591-216-8000 Facsimile: 591-2-216-8808 ConsularLaPazACS@state.gov There are two Consular Agencies in Bolivia that provide limited services to U.S. citizens, including accepting passport applications which are then processed in La Paz. To request routine services at one of the Consular Agencies, please schedule an appointment through the Embassy's web page. U.S. Consular Agency Santa Cruz Avenida Roque Aguilera #146 (3er Anillo), Santa Cruz, Bolivia Telephone: 591-3-351-3477 / 351-3479 Facsimile: 591-3-351-3478 U.S. Consular Agency Cochabamba Edificio "SAAL", Avenida Pando No. 1122, Piso 1, Suites B and C, Cochabamba, Bolivia Telephone: 591-4-411-6313 Facsimile: 591-4- 448-9119

Military Branches

Bolivian Armed Forces: Bolivian Army (Ejercito Boliviano, EB), Bolivian Naval Force (Fuerza Naval Boliviana, FNB; includes Marines), Bolivian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Boliviana, FAB)

Service Age and Obligation

18-49 years of age for 12-month compulsory male and female military service; Bolivian citizenship required; 17 years of age for voluntary service; when the annual number of volunteers falls short of the goal, compulsory recruitment is effected, including conscription of boys as young as 14; 15-19 years of age for voluntary premilitary service, provides an exemption from further military service.