On February 7, 2009, Bolivia's new constitution went into effect, giving more power to the country's indigenous majority. The new charter provided for redistribution of land and natural resource revenues, the creation of congressional seats reserved for indigenous representatives and the institution of special courts for indigenous communities. It also prohibited the posting of foreign military bases within the country and eliminated an existing one-term limit on Bolivian presidents. The new constitution had been strongly opposed in regions where more voters owned land or were of European descent, but was nevertheless approved in a national referendum in January 2009. By March 2009, Bolivian President Evo Morales began redistributing land to indigenous famers.

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Learn more about Bolivia, indigenous peoples and constitutions from the JURIST news archive.

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