Bolivian president highlights indigenous movement's historic struggle

Bolivian President Evo Morales on Tuesday highlighted the historic struggle of the indigenous movement in his country to mark the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, established by the United Nations in 1994.

"We value the historic struggle of the indigenous movement in Bolivia for its emancipation and its ability to live in harmony with Mother Earth," wrote the president on his official Twitter account.

Morales seized on the opportunity to congratulate the indigenous community on its struggle for liberation, dignity and equality.

"The indigenous populations, we resist invasions, we rise up against empires and now we are carrying out a democratic revolution defending Mother Earth," said Morales.

On the occasion of the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples which falls on Tuesday, "the United Nations Systems in Bolivia congratulate all the indigenous nations and peoples in Bolivia for their constant contribution to caring for Mother Nature, life, history and their work in all fields," said the UN in a press release.

The release said with the current constitutional framework, Bolivia has taken fundamental steps in acknowledging and exercising the rights of indigenous peoples.

With 45 million indigenous people, representing 8.3 percent of the regional population, Bolivia is the country with the fifth largest number of indigenous peoples in Latin America, according to a report from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. Endit