Netherlands Institute for Multiparty Democracy

Nonetheless, the country is extremely divided along socio-economic and ethnic-cultural lines. Politically, these divisions have led to an impasse in the Constituent Assembly, which has been engaged in a review of the Constituion since 2007, and conflicts over the status of the departments of Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando and Tarija, which all declared  themselves autonomous by dreferendums in May and June 2008.

Political miscalculation

A political miscalculation by PODEMOS in the Senate, mistakenly believing that they could oust President Evo Morales’ government through a referendum, made it possible for the MAS to have the proposed Constitution approved by a congressional resolution in October . Negotiation with the opposition took place after thereferendum had given Morales a landslide victory.

Fostering dialogue

In this context of political confrontation, attempts were made to foster dialogue - initially with little success. Only after the serious conflicts that resulted in the death of over ten people in the department of Pando in October 2008 it was possible to begin a political dialogue between the MAS and the opposition. This culminated in an agreement on a new National Constitution, which passed a public referendum in January 2009.