World Bulletin / News Desk

The clock on the facade of the building housing the Bolivian congress in La Paz has been reversed.

Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca said the Bolivians treasure their heritage and show them that they could question established norms and think creatively by enforcing some changes made. 

"Who says that the clock always has to turn one way? Why do we always have to obey? Why can't we be creative?" he asked at a news conference on Tuesday.

"We don't have to complicate matters, we just have to be conscious that we live in the south, not in the north," Mr Choquehuanca added.

Mr Choquehuanca said that using reversed clocks shouldn't be impossed on anyone.

"If you want to buy a clock of the south, do so, but if you want to continue using a clock of the north, you can continue doing so," he said.

La Paz's residents gave a mixed reaction about the new clock.

Shoe shiner Franz Galarza, who works in Murillo Square, told Efe news agency that the new clock was "a bad idea".

"If they want to send out the message that the country is heading in another direction, then they'll have to make that clear, because all the people who are walking past Murillo Square say they thought it was an error, a mistake."

Bolivia has passed a number of measures aimed at boosting its indigenous heritage under President Evo Morales, an indigenous Aymara.

The country has, for example, adopted the whipala, a rainbow-coloured indigenous flag, which is now flown alongside the traditional red, yellow and green banner used since the 19th Century.