Sucre is the constitutional capital of Bolivia. The Constitution recognizes Sucre as the nation’s capital and the city is home to Bolivia’s highest judicial institutions, including the Supreme Tribunal of Justice and the Constitutional Court.
The city was known historically as Chuquisaca and La Plata before taking the name Sucre in 1839. It became the center of the new Bolivian republic after independence, but the balance of political power shifted during the late 19th century. Following the Federal War of 1898–1899, the executive and legislative branches moved to La Paz.
That history creates one of South America’s most common capital-city mix-ups. La Paz is Bolivia’s seat of government and administrative center in practice, while Sucre remains the constitutional capital and judicial seat. Thus, “constitutional capital” specifically points to Sucre, not La Paz.