Ministry of Cultures (Bolivia)

The Ministry of Cultures, Decolonization, and Depatriarchalization (Spanish: Ministerio de Culturas, Descolonización, y Despatriarcalización) is the ministry of the government of Bolivia that provides for the preservation and protection of the cultures and artistic expressions of the indigenous peoples of Bolivia as well as promotes the country's tourism sector and process of decolonization and depatriarchalization.

Ministry of Cultures, Decolonization, and Depatriarchalization

Ministerio de Culturas, Descolonización, y Despatriarcalización
Ministry overview
Formed	7 February 2009; 16 years ago (2009-02-07) 13 November 2020; 4 years ago (2020-11-13) (re-established)
Preceding Ministry	Vice Ministry of Cultural Development
Type	Ministry
Jurisdiction	Government of Bolivia
Headquarters	Casa Grande del Pueblo Central Zone, Ayacucho Palacio Chico - esq. Potosí, La Paz, Bolivia 16.49636349131373°S 68.13359136931354°W / -16.49636349131373; -68.13359136931354
Minister responsible	Sabina Orellana
Child agencies	Vice Ministry Decolonization and Depatriarchalization Vice Ministry of Interculturality
Website	www.minculturas.gob.bo

History

The history of the Ministry of Cultures began with the establishment of the Bolivian Institute of Culture (IBC) by President Hugo Banzer on 14 March 1975. The IBC —later renamed as the Secretariat of Culture— was a dependent entity of the Ministry of Education and Cultures, granted jurisdiction over the National Archives of Sucre, the Casa de la Libertad, and the Casa de la Moneda in Potosí. During Banzer's second presidency from 1997 to 2001, the secretariat was further elevated to the status of a vice ministry.^[1]

In 2006, during the early government of President Evo Morales —Bolivia's first indigenous president— the office was expanded as the Vice Ministry of Cultural Development. On 7 February 2009, through Chapter XX of Supreme Decree N° 29894 on the Organizational Structure of the Executive Body of the Plurinational State, Morales formed the Ministry of Cultures. The until-then vice minister Pablo Groux was appointed to head the ministry.^[2][3] With the enactment of the General Law of Tourism "Bolivia Awaits You", the cultures portfolio was expanded, and it was named the Ministry of Cultures and Tourism for the duration of Morales' term.^[4]

The transitional government of Jeanine Áñez eliminated the portfolio on 4 June 2020 to preserve funds to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, a decision criticized by both the opposition and members of Morales' Movement for Socialism (MAS-IPSP).^[5][6] After the return to power of the MAS in that year's general elections, President Luis Arce restored the office as the Ministry of Cultures, Decolonization, and Depatriarchalization on 13 November 2020.^[7][8]

List of ministers

Portfolio	Minister	Party		Prof.	Took office	Left office	Term	President		Ref.
Minister of Cultures	Office vacant 7 February 2009 – 8 February 2009						1		Morales	[2]
	Pablo Groux		Ind.	Jrnl.	8 February 2009	23 January 2010	349			[9][10]
	Zulma Yugar		MAS	Mus.	23 January 2010	15 February 2011	388			[11][12]
	Elizabeth Salguero		MAS	Jrnl.	15 February 2011	23 January 2012	342			[13][14]
	Pablo Groux		Ind.	Jrnl.	23 January 2012	25 September 2012	1,123			[15][10]
Minister of Cultures and Tourism					25 September 2012	19 February 2015
	Marko Machicao		MAS	Eco.	19 February 2015	23 January 2017	704			[16][17]
	Wilma Alanoca		MAS	Jrnl.	23 January 2017	10 November 2019	1,021			[18][19]
	Office vacant 10 November 2019 – 14 November 2019						4		Áñez
	Martha Yujra		MDS	Uni.	14 November 2019	4 June 2020	203			[20][21]
Office abolished 4 June 2020 – 13 November 2020							162			[6]
									Arce
Minister of Cultures, Decolonization, and Depatriarchalization	Office vacant 13 November 2020 – 20 November 2020						7			[8]
	Sabina Orellana		MAS	Uni.	13 November 2020	Incumbent	1,625			[22][23]