The newly formed Bolivian vice-ministry of Community Justice is starting a campaign to legally recognize and regulate ancient indigenous community justice practices. President Evo Morales created the ministry on January 31 and appointed Vellentin Ticona, an indigenous Andean, to the Ministerial Post. Ticona plans to meet with leaders of the National Council of Ayllus, Markas, and Qullasuyu communities to organize seminars and workshops in order to create a consensus among indigenous groups as to how the community justice regulations should look, according to Prensa Latina. Ticona reportedly would like to see the justice system restructured so that community justice options—a process through which theft, land conflicts, marital conflicts, or more serious crimes, are adjudicated and sanctioned by community councils—become a feasible alternative to the current court system. The new program is expected to be well received by the majority Movement to Socialism (MAS) Congress.
