Independence Day, Bolivia

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Independence Day is celebrated on 6th August every year in Bolivia. It is the anniversary of the establishment of the Bolivian Republic in 1825.

Bolivia, officially the Republic of Bolivia, is named after Simón Bolívar. It is a landlocked country in central South America bordered by Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile and Peru.

The lands were conquered for Spain in the 16th century by Gonzalo and Hernando Pizarro. During most of the Spanish colonial period, the territory was called "Upper Peru" or "Charcas" and was under the authority of the Viceroyalty of Lima. Local government came from the Audiencia de Charcas located in Chuquisaca (the modern Sucre). Bolivian silver mines produced much of the Spanish Empire's wealth, with a steady stream of enslaved natives serving as forced labour.

Spanish Royal authority weakened considerably during the Napoleonic wars and sentiment against colonial rule grew, fuelled by other events in Spanish America but primarily due to the actions of Simón Bolívar and his two principal companions - José de San Martín and Antonio José de Sucre – who masterminded and fought in the many defeats of the Spanish forces.

Independence was declared in 1809, but it took 16 years of struggle – the Bolivian War of Independence – to achieve the goal. The physical fight for independence was finally achieved at Ayacucho, on 9th December 1824, as part of Bolívar's War when Antonio de Sucre's Republican army of 7,000 defeated José de La Serna's Spanish army of 10,000.

The Republicans suffered more than 1,000 casualties, but the Spanish suffere some 2,000 casualties and more than 2,000 captured, among them La Serna. The Spanish surrender came the next day.

Sucre went on to become the first President of the Republic when it was established on 6th August 1825. This date is celebrated to this day as the Independence Day holiday.