National Dignity Day in Bolivia

The plenary of the Chamber of Senators approved on Monday night in a session held in the city of Sucre (10/12/2020), capital of the country, a law that declares October 17, National Dignity Day, a national holiday every year in memory of the fallen of the so-called "Gas War" that occurred in 2003.

The sole article of this law declares October 17 of each year as National Dignity Day, in memory and recognition of those who lost their lives in the Gas War, whose strength and sacrifice allowed the recovery of natural resources and the consolidation of the Plurinational State of Bolivia.

This norm instructs the suspension of public and private activities granting them rest for the entire working day, in addition the Executive Branch through the competent authority will issue the necessary regulations for the application of this law.

In 2003, the so-called Gas War demonstrated the courage and rebellion of the people of the city of El Alto and the Bolivians generated by the decision of the former President of the Republic, Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, to export Bolivian gas to the United States through Chilean ports, which led to his resignation with more than 80 fatalities nationwide and hundreds of wounded.

This protest began on September 15, 2003 with a road blockade by peasants in the Warisata area of Lake Titicaca and Sorata in the province of Larecaja in the department of La Paz.

After days of protests, on October 16 of that year, a massive march arrived at the Government Headquarters with representatives from several regions of the different departments of the country to demand the resignation of Sánchez de Lozada and the following day, on October 17, the former president left office and fled to the United States, which put an end to the mobilizations in defense of Bolivian gas.