Spain, on August 11 the newly independent nation was named Bolivia,after Simon Bolvar. (Country Study 15-16)The type of government run in Bolivia is a Democracy. The 1967 constitution,revised in 1994, provides for balanced executive, legislative, and judicial powers. Alongwith the three branches there are nine administrative departments each controlled by agovernor. The Executive branch is headed by the President. The current president isHugo Banzer Suarez, elected in August 1997; the Vice President is Jorge FernandoQuiroga Ramirez. The president and vice president are chosen through popular voteelections to a four-year term. The president appoints the cabinet. The Legislative branchis a bicameral National Congress, composed of a twenty-seven member Senate and a onehundred thirty member Chamber of Deputies. The Judicial branch is the Supreme Courtcomposed of twelve members elected by congress and local courts. The national capitaland seat of government and Congress is La Paz while Sucre is the legal capital and seat ofjudiciary. (Country Study 169,174-5,177)With its history of social controls and bouts of hyper-inflation, Bolivia hasremained one of the poorest and least developed South American countries. Boliviaexperienced two major revolutions in economic policy during the second half of thetwentieth century. However, Bolivia has experienced generally improving economicconditions since the late 80's. In the late 1980s, trade of the coca plant, used for cocaine,became a large-scale illegal activity in underground economy. These activities thrived,employing two-thirds of the work force, totaling more than the official international trade. Early 90's successes included the signing of a free trade agreement with Mexico. (CountryStudy 101-2)Agriculture plays an important role in the economy; Bolivia is the second mostagricultural country in South America. Nearly half of the population is employed in theagricultural sector. ...
