Silvia Lazarte
Encyclopedia
Silvia Lazarte, a Bolivia
n Indigenous woman from Quechua ancestry, became the President of the Constituent Assembly
on August 6, 2006. Ms. Lazarte is a peasant leader representing the Santa Cruz department
, although she was born in the Cochabamba Department
. She became the principal authority of this important conclave through an agreement between social organizations and President Evo Morales
that considered the presence of an Indigenous woman to be of capital importance in the design of a new State.
Silvia Lazarte was previously a coca
-leave grower’s leader and declared, when sworn in as the Constituent Assembly: “We all have to think with our hearts; we women and men legislator
s have to think how to end our differences”
At the time of her becoming President of the Constituent Assembly, she was 42 years old and she was founder and Executive Secretary of the Central New Chapare Federation for Women.
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
n Indigenous woman from Quechua ancestry, became the President of the Constituent Assembly
Bolivian Constituent Assembly
The Bolivian Constituent Assembly, convened on August 6, 2006 in Sucre, with the purpose of drafting a new national constitution by December 14, 2007; extended from the original deadline of August 6, 2007. The Assembly approved the new Political Constitution of the State on 9 December 2007...
on August 6, 2006. Ms. Lazarte is a peasant leader representing the Santa Cruz department
Santa Cruz Department
Santa Cruz, with an area of 370,621 km², is the largest of the nine constituent departments of Bolivia. In the 2001 census, it reported a population of 2,029,471. The capital is the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. The state is one of the wealthiest states in Bolivia with huge reserves of...
, although she was born in the Cochabamba Department
Cochabamba Department
Cochabamba is one of the nine component departments of Bolivia. It is known to be the "granary" of the country because of its variety of agricultural products due to Cochabamba's geographical position. It has an area of 55,631 km². Its population, in the 2007 census, was 1,750,000...
. She became the principal authority of this important conclave through an agreement between social organizations and President Evo Morales
Evo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
that considered the presence of an Indigenous woman to be of capital importance in the design of a new State.
Silvia Lazarte was previously a coca
Coca
Coca, Erythroxylum coca, is a plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The plant plays a significant role in many traditional Andean cultures...
-leave grower’s leader and declared, when sworn in as the Constituent Assembly: “We all have to think with our hearts; we women and men legislator
Legislator
A legislator is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are usually politicians and are often elected by the people...
s have to think how to end our differences”
At the time of her becoming President of the Constituent Assembly, she was 42 years old and she was founder and Executive Secretary of the Central New Chapare Federation for Women.