History

The National Order of the Andean Condor (Orden Nacional del Cóndor de los Andes) was instituted by the Bolivian government of Bautista Saavedra on April 18, 1925. The Order was created as an effort to unify the country, which had merged on an unstable rule previous years. The Order is the highest official decoration in Bolivia.

The Order is conferred to Bolivian and foreign citizens, and institutions, in recognition of either meritorious civil or military services to improve the development and progress of Bolivia, and the humanity.

The Order consists of six grades; Grand Collar, Grand Cross, Grand Officer, Commander, Officer and Knight. The Order can be awarded in postmortem.

The Order is awarded by the Council of the Order that it is composed by the President of Bolivia, in grade of Grand Collar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in grade of Grand Cross, and the General Director of Ceremonial State Affairs, in grade of Grand Officer.

The Order features an obverse inscription that translates to “Strength through Unity 1925,” and a reverse inscription that stands to "Republic of Bolivia" (República de Bolivia.)

The Grand Cross Breast Star is conferred upon Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Diplomats, members of recognised international institutions, Ambassadors and civil servants with similar rank.

The obverse of the Grand Cross depicts a condor flying in front of Mount Potosí, however in some version the condor is lacking.

The Grand Cross Breast Star has been awarded to Alfredo Stroessner, president of Paraguay in 1954; Josip Broz Tito, founded and president of Yugoslavia in 1963; Felipe, Duke of Edinburgh, Monsieur Maurice Couve de Murville, Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, among others.