[act-ma] 9/11-7pm - The new Bolivian constitution

[Sergio Reyes]

Sergio Reyes on Latin America's New Constitutions		 
                            


         
          
 
 
 
 
  
 	           

        
		        
    
	
	
	Saturday, September 11, 2010, 7:00 p.m. Join Sergio Reyes of the Boston May Day Committee and Latin at s for Social Change
 for a survey of the radical changes and advances in Latin American 
constitutional development. Using his firsthand impressions of the 
process in Bolivia and a textual analysis of the new constitution of the Plurinational Republic of Bolivia, 
Reyes will provide his assessment and lead the conversation. Additional
 speakers and experiences will be announced shortly. Sponsored by the Boston May Day Committee.
Here's Wikipedia's (8/20/10) summary of the new constitution:
 "The current Constitution of Bolivia is the 17th constitution in the 
country's history; previous constitutions were enacted in 1826, 1831, 
1834, 1839, 1843, 1851, 1861, 1868, 1871, 1878, 1880, 1938, 1945, 1947, 
1961 and 1967. It came into effect on February 7, 2009, when it was 
promulgated by President Evo Morales after being approved in a 
referendum with 90.24% participation. The referendum was held on January
 25, 2009, and the constitution was approved by 61.43% of voters.

The 2009 Constitution defines Bolivia as a unitary plurinational, and
 secular (rather than a Catholic, as before) state. It calls for a mixed
 economy of state, private, and communal ownership; restricts private 
land ownership to a maximum of 5,000 hectares (12,400 acres); authorizes
 a variety of autonomies at the local and departmental level. It 
elevates the electoral authorities, to become a fourth constitutional 
power; introduces the possibility of recall elections for all elected 
officials; and enlarges the Senate. Members of the enlarged National 
Congress will be elected by first past the post voting in the future, in
 a change from the previous mixed member proportional system. The 
judiciary is reformed, and judges will be elected in the future and no 
longer appointed by the National Congress. It declares natural resources
 to be the exclusive dominion of the Bolivian people, administered by 
the state. Sucre will be acknowledged as Bolivia's capital, but the 
institutions will remain where they are (executive and legislative in La
 Paz, judiciary in Sucre). The electoral authorities will be situated in
 Sucre.
 

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