Bolivia's Seat Of Power: Exploring The State Government Building

Bolivia is a democratic republic with a directly elected president who serves as the head of state and government. The current president is Luis Alberto Arce Catacora, who was elected in 2020 and assumed office in 2020. The presidential palace is known as the Palacio Quemado or Burnt Palace in the constitutional capital of Sucre. However, the seat of government is located in La Paz, which is also the largest city and principal industrial centre of Bolivia.

The executive branch

Bolivia is a constitutional, multiparty republic with an elected president and a bicameral legislature. The executive branch is headed by the president, who is vested with executive authority. The president is directly elected by popular vote to a five-year term. The 2009 Political Constitution allows the president to serve multiple terms, with no limits on the number of terms a president may serve.

The president of Bolivia is the head of state and the head of government, and also serves as the captain-general of the Armed Forces of Bolivia. The president is responsible for appointing the vice president and heads of the government ministries. The Supreme Court exercises legal power and upholds the constitution.

The national police, under the authority of the Ministry of Government, are responsible for law enforcement and the maintenance of order within the country. The armed forces, which report to the Ministry of Defense, may be called to assist in critical situations.

The seat of government is La Paz, which is also the location of the executive branch. The constitutional capital is Sucre, which is the seat of the judiciary.

The legislative branch

Bolivia's legislative branch is known as the Plurinational Legislative Assembly and consists of two chambers: the Chamber of Senators (also called the Senate) and the Chamber of Deputies.

The Chamber of Senators has 36 members, who are elected by proportional representation from party lists to serve five-year terms. The Chamber of Deputies has 130 members, 70 of whom are directly elected from a single district, 7 are directly elected from non-contiguous indigenous districts, and 53 are elected by proportional representation from party lists. Members of both chambers are elected to five-year terms.

The judiciary

Bolivia's judiciary has long been riddled with corruption and inefficiency. However, through revisions to the constitution in 1994 and subsequent laws, the government has initiated potentially far-reaching reforms in the judicial system.

The Judicial Branch is composed of the Supreme Court (the highest instance of ordinary jurisdiction), the District and Lower Courts, and the Magistracy Council. Justice is dispensed in two jurisdictions: ordinary and indigenous. Constitutional justice is administered by the Constitutional Court.

Supreme Court Justices are chosen by Congress by a two-thirds vote of the total of its members. The President of the Court, or Supreme Justice, is also President of the Council of the Judicature, and is chosen by a two-thirds vote of the members of the Supreme Court.

The Council of the Judiciary was created to be an administrative and disciplinary agency and disciplinary body for the judicial branch. It assumed, to a great extent and in an independent form, powers that traditionally had pertained to the Supreme Court in the matter of finances and disciplinary issues.

The electoral branch

Bolivia's electoral branch is a fourth branch of government, known as the Plurinational Electoral Organ, which was established in 2010. The branch is headed by the Supreme Electoral Tribunal and is responsible for overseeing elections and electoral results at all levels of Bolivian government.

The Plurinational Electoral Organ consists of the Supreme Electoral Courts, the nine Departmental Electoral Courts, Electoral Judges, the anonymously selected Juries at Election Tables, and Electoral Notaries. Wilfredo Ovando presides over the seven-member Supreme Electoral Court. The Electoral Organ's operations are mandated by the Constitution and regulated by the Electoral Regime Law (Law 026, passed in 2010).

The Electoral Organ's first elections were the country's first judicial election in October 2011, followed by five municipal special elections in 2011. The Electoral Organ also oversaw the 2020 general election, in which Luis Arce was elected as Bolivia's president with 55% of the vote.

Bolivia's electoral system includes provisions to prevent voter fraud and ensure fair elections. For example, ahead of any national election, a period of prohibition is enforced to prevent inebriated nationals from voting in error, and nationals are forbidden from travelling to prevent voters from casting their vote in more than one district.

The armed forces

The Bolivian military is under the authority of the Ministry of Defence and reports to the President of Bolivia, who is the head of state, head of government, and the captain-general of the Armed Forces. The President is elected by popular vote to a five-year term, with no limit on the number of terms they may serve.

The Bolivian Constitution prohibits all forms of torture, coercion, and physical and emotional violence, but there have been reports of government officials employing these tactics. The penal code carries only minimum penalties for persons convicted of torture, and no public official has ever been found guilty of the crime.

The national police, under the Ministry of Government, have primary responsibility for law enforcement and the maintenance of order within the country. However, the armed forces may be called in to assist in critical situations. Immigration officials also report to the Ministry of Government, and police and military share responsibilities for border enforcement.

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