Here’s an important thread on the 2009 Constitution that Evo and the Movimiento al Socialism was able to pass democratically, radically changing the governments relation to the Bolivian people.

First, it should be noted this is the 17th constitution since the 1826 founding of the state. Every other constitution described the country as a Catholic, settler-colonial state. This changed in 2009.

Unlike many constitutions, the 2009 Bolivian consitution was put to a vote. With around 90.26% voter turnout, the new constitution was passed with 61.43% approval.

On the day of adoption in 7 February 2009, Evo Morales wept tears of joy.

Speaking in front of thousands of supporters in El Alto, he acknowledged his opposition, saying “they can [now] drag me from the palace. They can kill me. A new united Bolivia had been established.”

After it’s adoption, it describes Bolivia as a Plurinational, secular, and unitary state. This is not just evident in the dual flags below, but in requiring all state documents and proceedings must be in both Spanish and the region’s Indigenous language.

Indigenous rights were centered, including:
-Affirmative action on Indigenous legislators
-Establishment of Indigenous justice system of equal stature to existing justice system
-Right to Indigenous autonomy
-Exclusive rights to Natural resources in Indigenous communities

Here’s a map of all 36 recognized non-Spanish languages, those of which as mentioned are included in official state use.

Article 384 states that Bolivia “shall protect native and ancestral coca as cultural patrimony”. Pushing back on the myth by colonizers that the plant is a narcotic, Bolivia affirms coca as, in its natural state, a factor of social cohesion in Indigenous communities.

Another focus was access to drinking water as a human right. The Morales government has invested $2.9 million USD to improve water access. This foils governments before that sold Bolivian aquifer rights to foreign corporations.

In addition to the water rights, 100 other articles of the Bolivian constitution guarantee basic rights, such as access to sewage, electricity, telecommunications, postal service, and home gas.

Discrimination based on sex, race, age, sexuality, gender identity, origin, culture, nationality, citizenship, language, religion, ideology, political affiliation or philosophy, socioeconomic condition, education level, career, disability and pregnancy are outlawed in Bolivia.

As mentioned prior, Catholicism lost its status as the official state religion. Inversely, the state is now secular, and guarantees the freedom of creed and religion to all.

Land redistribution was established, banning the large latifundios that were and are common across the colonial Americas. The Bolivian constitution banned the ownership of five thousand hectares of land.

Article 349 describes natural resources under “direct dominion and property” of the Bolivian people. However, the state respects and recognizes the ownership rights of the earth and one by individuals and collectives, and requires the state to seek approval for resource use.

In one article, the document describes Bolivia as a pacifist state. Bolivia rejects war and using armed forces only in the aims of “legitimate self defense”. Additionally, it prohibits all foreign military bases on Bolivian land.

These are simply some highlights, but in many ways the 2009 constitution was a progressive, revolutionary document. As the right wing and bourgeois powers force their coup in Bolivia, they will attack these rights, but the majority of working class/poor Bolivians, will defend.