Former Capital Seeks To Regain Title

"Yes, the home of the president, Congress, central bank, government ministries and foreign embassies might be in La Paz, 250 miles to the north and with a population four times that of Sucre's 250,000."

"Still festering from a civil war in 1899 that stripped the executive and legislative branches from Sucre and moved them to La Paz, leaving only the highest courts based here, this city is pressing ahead with a campaign to become Bolivia's full-fledged capital again."

"That is a lofty goal for this city, whose whitewashed buildings recall a more genteel time in Bolivian history. And for the time being, it seems a goal unlikely to materialize."

"One million protesters recently flooded the center of La Paz to oppose Sucre's campaign, reflecting the strength of Morales's political base, and the resistance to Sucre's ambition. Economists say the costs of transferring the presidency and legislature to Sucre, which retains the title of "constitutional capital," would be staggering for Bolivia, which is already South America's poorest country."