Bolivian Independence Day is August 6th each year. The country gained its freedom from Spain after several centuries of occupation and celebrated by signing the Declaration of Independence on August 6th, 1825. Read our history pages to learn all about Bolivia's struggle to become an independent nation and govern itself. Previously known as the Republic of Bolivia (and now called the Plurinational State of Bolivia by some), for the past 184 years Bolivia has faced many obstacles along its path to becoming an individual nation. The photos on this page were taken on 8/6/2009 in Santa Cruz.

Independence Day takes place in a similar manner each year. School children prepare weeks in advance and parade through the streets or at their schools in neatly pressed uniforms, carrying flags. Authorities, labor unions, the various branches of the military, and other organizations also parade, usually accompanied by marching bands. Fireworks displays are common in some areas, but not as much as in the U.S.

If you accessed this article from our August 2011 issue of Bella News, return to reading the issue here.

The day begins in Sucre, capital of Bolivia.

Bolivian Independence Day Slideshow: BoliviaBella.com’s trip to Santa Cruz, Bolivia was created by TripAdvisor. See another Santa Cruz slideshow. Create your own stunning slideshow with our free photo slideshow maker.

As an example, this is what transpired in 2009: Traditionally, Congress meets in Sucre, Bolivia's capital city (located in the department of Chuquisaca) every August 6th for a special congressional session that is held in the "Casa de la Libertad" (similar to Independence Hall in Philadelphia, USA) where Bolivia's Declaration of Independence was signed in 1825 (it is housed in the building and on display for tourists and the public). Speeches are given, there are calls for unity and promises of improvement, new commitments are made, and the president addresses the nation. However, as of 2010 the Bolivian government has decided that the president will rotate cities, eventually visiting many major Bolivian cities.

President Evo Morales landed in Sucre at about 6 a.m. along with several of his ministers. He was accompanied by a heavy security detail. Since several people were killed in Sucre two years ago when government factions and locals feuded in public areas, President Morales had been declared unwelcome in the region by members of the opposition (including the Prefect of Chuquisaca Savina Cuellar) until he makes a public apology.

During the previous afternoon and throughout the night thousands of Morales supporters were transported into Sucre from remote areas (some stating as far as Potosí) to ensure a show of support. Some also stated they had been brought in to provide 'security' for the President. Numbering approximately 6000, they filled the central plaza and tension was high as Sucre's locals feared violence would once again erupt.

There was to have been a procession to the Casa de la Libertad, led by Sucre's Mayor and the Prefect of Chuquisaca, accompanied by President Morales and Vice President Garcia Linera. However, the mayor and prefect were pressed back by the crowds of supporters who had been bussed in during the night as the President and several ministers made their way to the Casa de la Libertad without them. On one side of the plaza and street Morales supporters clapped and cheered. On the other Evo Morales was loudly hissed and booed by locals, many of whom shouted "ask Sucre for forgiveness!"

Once inside, Morales limited his speech to the nation to 40 minutes (versus 4 hours last year). While he was there tensions began to rise outside as people began to chant "Evo Asesino" (Evo murderer). Security finally made the decision to quickly wisk the President out to an awaiting vehicle, followed by Minister Rada who, in the security detail's rush to secure the President, was left behind on the street. As Morales' car drove away, Rada had to bear the brunt of the insults meant for the President.

Cuellar later told the press that an itinerary had been established for the day stating "but the President and his people ignored it. So what can we do? Nothing. They want only confrontation. Thankfully the people of Sucre didn't respond to that."

Celebrations in other regions of Bolivia

In La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, and all other major cities and towns in the nation celebrations mostly consisted of parades. In the capital cities of each department the Prefect and civic leaders typically attend an early mass called the Tedeum. They also take part in a small procession during which they carry huge wreathes of flowers which they place at the feet of a statue symbolizing Bolivia's independence in the central plaza. Municipal and departmental leaders then gather on a small stage set up above the crowd and make short speeches, after which each city's parade begins. Typically, civic groups, schools, labor unions, various branches of the military, and members of organizations that represent many of the country's industries parade down a few short blocks of the street.

This year the parade route in Santa Cruz was heavily guarded by police, fully armed military police (each carrying several canisters of tear gas), and local "gendarmes" (citizen police trained by local police). However, locals and immigrants alike paraded peacefully together.

An enormous green-white-green flag of Santa Cruz hung on a building West of the Plaza (see video). On it were the words "Nuestro Himno es Sagrado" (our anthem is sacred) alluding to the fact that President Morales recently declared he didn't like the departmental anthem of Santa Cruz, and he thinks its wording should be changed.

Morales decrees the whipala must fly

Another aspect that lent tension to today's celebrations was a surprise declaration by Evo Morales on the previous day, that he had signed a new decree declaring the WHIPALA* a national símbolo patrio (national symbol or national emblem). He instructed that from this day forward the WHIPALA* must be flown to the left of the Bolivian flag in all public areas and buildings, schools, and all private homes.

The outcry was immediate. Public officials in most of Eastern Bolivia promptly declared they would not follow these instructions and private citizens vehemently rejected flying it in their homes as well, stating it is not a national flag or national symbol. The surprising decree also lacked planning: where were hundreds of thousands of Bolivian households and public offices to find a whipala one day before Independence day? Most public officials declared the decree an imposition and misguided attempt to insult and cause division and confrontation.

The whipala was visibly absent throughout the city of Santa Cruz during celebrations today (although we did see some whipalas flying in areas heavily inhabited by Western immigrant populations, such as the Plan 3000 neighborhood). It was also flown at the Santa Cruz bus terminal. Despite this, there were no physical confrontations as many feared.

On a lesser but no less serious note, the AH1N1 virus also put a damper on today's celebration, especially in Santa Cruz which has been hardest hit by this illness. Many parade-goers and marchers wore facemasks, as did nearly all police and military personnel.

Thankfully, the day transpired peacefully throughout Bolivia despite these issues.

Why so much tension over the whipala?

*The whipala (there are actually many versions of it depending on what region or Andean country one is from) is a multicolored flag invented in 1973 that is now carried by supporters of the Movement Toward Socialism (Evo Morales' political party) and it represents the Aymara and Quechua peoples of Western Bolivia. In all other regions of Bolivia indigenous and non-indigenous populations alike indicate it does not represent them, their culture, their political or religious beliefs, or their heritage and they consider it an imposition of the Aymaran culture upon their own.

The whipala contains 49 squares using the seven visible colors of the rainbow which represent the following:

* Red: The Earth and the Andean man
* Orange: Society and culture
* Yellow: Energy
* White: Time
* Green: Natural resources
* Blue: The heavens
* Violet: Andean government and self-determination

The Incan Empire was divided into four main regions (called suyus). There are actually FOUR WHIPALAS IN BOLIVIA (the diagonal stripes of colored squares are arranged differently, depending on which SUYU, or region, the flag is meant to represent).

If you accessed this article from our August 2011 issue of Bella News, return to reading the issue here.