Government of Bolivia - Local Government

Local Government

Bolivia is divided in nine departments (departamentos, singular - departamento); Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, Beni, La Paz, Oruro, Pando, Potosi, Santa Cruz, Tarija. Bolivia's nine departments received greater autonomy under the Administrative Decentralization law of 1995. Departmental autonomy further increased with the first popular elections for departmental governors, known as prefects, on 18 December 2005. Departments are governed by the elected governors (until 2010, prefects; and until 2005, appointed by the President) and by independently elected Departmental Legislative Assemblies (until 2010; Departmental Councils).

Bolivian cities and towns are governed by directly elected mayors and councils. Municipal elections were last held on 4 April 2010, with both mayors councils elected to five-year terms. The Popular Participation Law of April 1994, which distributes a significant portion of national revenues to municipalities for discretionary use, has enabled previously neglected communities to make striking improvements in their facilities and services hi.

Read more about this topic:  Government Of Bolivia

Famous quotes containing the words local and/or government:

    Back now to autumn, leaving the ended husk
    Of summer that brought them here for Show Saturday
    The men with hunters, dog-breeding wool-defined women,
    Children all saddle-swank, mugfaced middleaged wives
    Glaring at jellies, husbands on leave from the garden
    Watchful as weasels, car-tuning curt-haired sons
    Back now, all of them, to their local lives....
    Philip Larkin (1922–1986)

    The government of the United States is a device for maintaining in perpetuity the rights of the people, with the ultimate extinction of all privileged classes.
    Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933)