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 Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert (since 17
October 2003); Vice President (vacant); note - the president is both
the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert (since 17
October 2003); Vice President (vacant); 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 30 June 2002
(next to be held NA June 2007)
election results: as a result of no candidate winning a majority in
the 30 June 2002 election, Gonzalo SANCHEZ DE LOZADA Bustamante was
chosen president by Congress; Congressional votes - Gonzalo SANCHEZ
DE LOZADA Bustamante 84, Evo MORALES 43; note - following the
resignation of the elected president on 17 October 2003, Vice
President Carlos Diego MESA Gisbert assumed the presidency
Legislative branch:
bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of
Chamber of Senators or Camara de Senadores (27 seats; members are
elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve
five-year terms) and Chamber of Deputies or Camara de Diputados (130
seats; 68 are directly elected from their districts and 62 are
elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve
five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators and Chamber of Deputies - last held
30 June 2002 (next to be held NA June 2007)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
NA; seats by party - MNR 11, MAS 8, MIR 5, NFR 2, other 1; Chamber
of Deputies - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - MNR
36, MAS 27, MIR 26, NFR 25, others 16
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 and leaders:
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 [Evo MORALES]; Movement
Without Fear or MSM [Juan DEL GRANADO]; Nationalist Democratic
Action or ADN [Jorge Fernando QUIROGA Ramirez]; Nationalist
Revolutionary Movement or MNR [leader NA]; New Republican Force or
NFR [Manfred REYES-VILLA]; Pachakuti Indigenous Movement or MIP
[Felipe QUISPE]; Socialist Party or PS [Jeres JUSTINIANO]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Cocalero Groups; indigenous organizations; labor unions; Sole
Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia or CSUTCB [Roman
LOAYZA]
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), MIGA, MINUSTAH, MONUC, NAM, OAS,
ONUB, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO,
UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNOCI, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WToO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Jaime APARICIO Otero
consulate(s): Washington, DC
consulate(s) general: Miami, New York, and San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 328-3712
telephone: [1] (202) 483-4410
chancery: 3014 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
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) 2430120, 2430251 FAX: [591] (2) 2433900