The president of Bolivia, Luis Arce, told the Armed Forces this Monday to militarize the border with Peru to prevent essential products from being smuggled out of Bolivian territory. in the face of the economic crisis that the country is experiencing due to the high prices of various foods, lack of dollar liquidity and fuel shortages.
“We have already instructed our Armed Forces to militarize the borders, to not let (the products) leave. and we are still gradually releasing various regulations to tighten the control that we have to carry out at borders,” said Arce during his speech for the 73rd anniversary of the Confederation of Factory Workers.
“Ant smuggling”
For several months now, producers and merchants have been carrying out what the Government called “ant smuggling.” to sell their products outside Bolivia at a better price and to obtain dollars, a currency that is scarce in the Andean country.
President Arce’s decision on the border between Bolivia and Peru
Arce assured that thanks to the good Bolivian food production, several countries “take advantage” of the low costs.
“We have subsidized diesel, Therefore, the cost of our agricultural production is subsidized and that production is being taken away to sell more expensively abroad,” Arce added.
For his part, the vice minister of Defense of User and Consumer Rights, Jorge Silva, reported that foods such as rice, flour, sugar, chicken, beef and pork are being smuggled to Peru, through the border region of Desaguadero.
Prices of essential products
In Peruvian territory, the price of these products increases and that factor “It is affecting the prices we have in the country,” Silva explained.
In the markets of the central axis of Bolivia (La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz), The price of meat and other essential products rose by up to one dollar (7 bolivianos) and citizens have reported that the increase affects the family economy.
“Every day the price of these products increases due to the difference in prices that we have, especially with Peru,” the vice minister specified.
President Arce pointed out that to this problem that Bolivia is going through is added the climate crisis in the South American region that “It has been reducing the productive capacity of food.”
Bolivia has suffered from a lack of dollar liquidity since the beginning of 2023 and this year the shortage of fuel, gasoline, and diesel worsened. which continues to affect the main cities of the country due to import difficulties.
