The Government asked Bolivian banks to repatriate capital from abroad to sort out an apparent minor liquidity problem in the financial sector. According to the Economy Minister, Luis Arce, Bolivian banks have a lot of dollars on foreign accounts, but they are not bringing back this capital. He added that the Government already asked them to repatriate this money.
With a call to preserve democracy and peace, the Interamerican Human Rights Court (CIDH) began in Sucre, Bolivia, its 171 term session. This is the first time that the organisation meets in Bolivia. The magistrates will review 25 civil organisation demands from 14 countries. The sessions will not include demands from the host country. However, they will listen without opinion the claims from Bolivian civil organisations thad demand the Government to comply with the results of the referendum of 21 February 2016 (21F), when 51% of voters denied President Evo Morales the possibility of rerunning this year for a fourth consecutive term.
Bolivia is the country with more low productivity employment in Latin America, according to a study. According to the Inaset Foundation, low productivity employment is over 60% with a negative impact on incomes and the country’s development.
The slowdown of the world’s leading economies will increase the uncertainty in Latin America, warned the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). According to the organisation, the slowdown in China, the US and Europe will impact negatively in the region which can expect a growth of only 1.7%.
Bolivian producers expect to export meat to the Russian and Chinese market by mid-year. A Russian delegation will visit Bolivia this month to inspect the refrigerating plants enabled to export meat and to review the sanitary protocol that should be agreed between Russia and Bolivia.
Bolivia plan to invest $US1.4 billion to explore 23 sectors in the country and drill 25 new gas wells on the hope of finding new reserves. The investment will be financed by national and international companies.
The Bolivian government signed a joint venture with the Chinese consortium Xinjiang TBEA Group-Baocheng to industrialised lithium in the country. The joint venture plan to open eight lithium plants in the Coipasa and Pastos Grandes salt flats in Potosi with an investment of $US2.3 bn. The project also aims to open a lithium batteries factory in China.
