# Todos Santos preparations in Bolivia and Guatemala

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/todos-santos-preparations-in-bolivia-and-guatemala
> Updated: 2026-10-26T07:07:00.000Z. Sources: 13. Developments: 3.

Preparations continue for the Todos Santos religious festivities on November 1 and 2 in Bolivia and Guatemala. 

In Tarija, administrator Ariel Zamora has coordinated with municipal security and public works to ensure safety and cleanliness. Authorities have requested that institutions with private mausoleums assist in cleaning niches, roofs, and hallways, while local workers are available on-site to assist visitors with painting and repairs. In Quetzaltenango, administrator Obdulio Morales reported that maintenance, including vegetation control across 35 avenues and 7 streets, has been ongoing since the start of the year. Efforts include completing a perimeter wall for a new access point and coordinating with utility companies to ensure water and electricity services during the holiday.

In Bolivia, municipal authorities in Cochabamba are working to relocate the Todos Santos fair to the San Sebastián and Coronilla plazas to modernize the event and mitigate traffic congestion. While meetings with merchants have faced some delays, officials aim to reach a consensus to prevent transit obstructions.

Nationwide in Bolivia, families are preparing to welcome the souls, or ‘ajayus’, of the deceased by creating ‘mast’aku’ or ‘apxatas’—altars adorned with flowers, candles, fruits, and sweets. Central to these traditions are ‘tantawawas’ and artisanal candies, such as sugar figures of baskets and crosses, which are believed to be carried by the souls. For the Aymara people, this return is linked to agricultural cycles, as the souls are thought to bring fertility to the upcoming planting season in the Altiplano.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-26: Bolivian traditions celebrate Todos Santos and the return of souls

Bolivian families observe Todos Santos by preparing altars with sweets and offerings to welcome the souls of the deceased, a tradition rooted in Aymara culture and agricultural cycles.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bolivian-traditions-celebrate-todos-santos-and-the-return-of-souls

### 2026-10-21: Bolivia prepares for traditional All Saints' Day festivities

Bolivia is preparing for All Saints' Day, with Cochabamba officials relocating traditional fairs to reduce traffic and authorities deploying security to cemeteries for the ancestral holiday.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bolivia-prepares-for-traditional-all-saints-day-festivities

### 2026-10-14: Cemeteries prepare for Todos Santos festivities

Cemeteries in Tarija and Quetzaltenango are implementing maintenance, security, and utility preparations ahead of the Todos Santos festivities on November 1.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cemeteries-prepare-for-todos-santos-festivities

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Cite as: Todos Santos preparations in Bolivia and Guatemala. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/todos-santos-preparations-in-bolivia-and-guatemala