ABSTRACT
The name of Sucre recalls the colonial cultural heritage of one of the most beautiful colonial cities in Latin America, having been thus marketed for tourism. In the identity construct of the criollos in Sucre, the following elements are proudly merged together: colonial cultural heritage, identification with the struggle for independence, local history within the context of the founding of Bolivia, and remembrance of the city's powerful silver oligarchs, hacienda owners, military leaders, intellectuals, and artists. The 'Black Day of Sucre' is embedded in a political confrontation that reached a new dimension in the uprising of 2003, and since the 2005 election of Evo Morales as president has revealed the quasi-division of the country. Considering the background to this political culture of street politics, it is unsurprising that government opponents as well as supporters carry on their arguments about the constitution in the public domain of the streets.
