Members and supporters of the Association for Human Rights in Bolivia (AHRB) celebrated Bolivia's Plurinational State Foundation Day on January 22.
The day marks the 2009 country name change and new constitution that recognised the 36 indigenous peoples who live within Bolivia’s borders.
AHRB president Juana Maldonado explained: “We celebrate this process of change from a racist republican colonial state that excluded the majorities to an inclusive, egalitarian pluri-national state that gives legal recognition and grants political rights to the 36 ethnic groups that make up the majority of the Bolivian people.”
Bolivia’s indigenous and social movements who, in 2005, helped elect Evo Morales, the first indigenous president, had demanded the new constitution.
Despite strong opposition from right-wing forces, the new constitution was overwhelmingly approved in a referendum during Morales’ time in government.