The Bolivian Armed Forces officially celebrated their 201st anniversary on Friday, August 7, 2026. The traditional central Military Parade was held in El Alto after not taking place in this municipality for seven years.
Captain General of the Armed Forces and President of the State, Rodrigo Paz, ordered the strategic modernization of the military institution to ensure success in national security missions. The announcement was made this Friday by the Commander-in-Chief, Army General Víctor Hugo Balderrama, during the central ceremony for the institution's 201st anniversary held at the First Air Brigade.
"The transformation process of the Force has begun, centered on the structuring and implementation of the Military Strategic Plan Horizon Patria 2042, whose main objective is to project the institution to consolidate a multi-mission, versatile, and interoperable force, within the framework of transparency, sustainability, and respect for human rights," stated the military chief during the tribute held in the city of El Alto, reaffirming that the Armed Forces are the guardians of the homeland, born from independence and the Chaco War.
The Bolivian Armed Forces officially celebrated their 201st anniversary on Friday, August 7, 2026. The traditional central Military Parade was held in El Alto after not taking place in this municipality for seven years, gathering more than 5,000 personnel from the Army, the Bolivian Navy, and the Air Force.
"We are holding this tribute to our beloved institution in this valiant land of El Alto, whose identity is forged with the same metal as our aircraft: resilience, pride, and unwavering patriotism. From this strategic summit, where civilian courage and military honor meet, we reaffirm our relevance in service to all the Bolivian people," highlighted the general, under the watchful eye of President Rodrigo Paz Pereira, as well as governmental, military, and police authorities.
He maintained that reaching 201 years of history today reminds us that the Armed Forces were not created by chance or as an improvised measure. They were formed in the struggle for the independence of America and are the direct continuators of the legacy of the first heroes who gave their lives for freedom.
In this vein, the Army has successfully moved towards the restitution of the country's full participation in peacekeeping operations and the increase of military observers and staff, which constitutes a strategic pillar for international projection.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, General Víctor Hugo Balderrama, highlighted that with the new administration of President Paz, strict military hierarchy, regulations, honor, and meritocracy based on individual and academic performance have been restored.
He emphasized that the evolution of "multidimensional threats" has transformed into "new threats or new risks," eliminating technical jargon without losing the meaning for the Armed Forces.
This is "translated into high-precision inter-institutional operations that have been decisive for success during the 53 prolonged and complex days of blockade that our country suffered, and especially our department of La Paz. By safeguarding the stability of the democratically and legitimately constituted government, both institutions confirmed that the sovereign will of the Bolivian people is not negotiated and that social peace is defended with firmness, discipline, synergy, inter-institutional cooperation, and, above all, respect and love for the people of whom we are a part."
In this context, the Bolivian Special Forces will return to the international competition "Fuerzas Comando" in Paraguay after a 20-year absence. Likewise, the Military Equestrian Team was crowned world champion in Ecuador for the first time in history. Finally, international defense cooperation channels have been opened to modernize the country's military doctrine, education, and technology.
