MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bolivian massive exodus before Spain no visa deadline

Thousands of anxious Bolivians desperate to travel to Spain before Friday, when visas will begin to be required, flooded this week two of the country's main airports. In the middle of the chaos the government claims the massive exodus has been encouraged by travel agencies, some of which have swindled travelers.

Earlier in the week three top officials from the country's flag carrier LAB were arrested on charges of overbooking and overpricing tickets. In the last three years Spain has become the main destination for Bolivians looking for better living conditions causing the collapse of the local migration offices unable to face the demand for passports. "It's a phenomenon which we did not address and which has ballooned in the last six to eight years", admitted Spanish ambassador in Bolivia Fernando Montalbán confirming that Bolivians have become the fastest growing foreign community in the country. An estimated 300.000 documented and undocumented Bolivians live in Spain, twenty times the number of 17.000 residents just two years ago. Only four years ago there were no direct flights from Bolivia to Spain but in the last six months 15 direct weekly flights have been established and links to many other destinations including United States. Chaos broke out in the airports of Cochabamba and Santa Cruz where at least 1.500 people noisily protested against debt ridden LAB, which begun canceling flights last weekend and on Wednesday stopped all operations indefinitively. "Because of lack of security and our responsibility with travelers, LAB has decided to temporarily cancel all flights" which under LAB license had been chartered, said LAB spokesperson Vicky Moyano. LAB's CEO Franklin Taendler and two other top managers are currently retained under charges in Santa Cruz for canceling promotional trips and have been ordered to refund ticket holders 1.200 US dollars per capita. They were arrested and charged a day after Bolivia's Transport Agency imposed 60.000 US dollars to the company for canceling extraordinary flights and over selling ordinary tickets to Madrid. Travel agencies and passengers complained that LAB was charging an additional 400 US dollars (under the counter) for extending the tickets. Bolivians have historically migrated particularly to Argentina (over a million live there), Brazil, United States and lately Spain. However news of arrests and deportations of Bolivians on arriving in Spain did not deter others from queuing before the Spanish embassy in La Paz requesting for a visa which becomes mandatory as of next April first. Ambassador Montalban announced the expansion of consular services in Bolivia to help with the influx of travelers. "The same way Bolivia for decades received Spanish families with open arms, gave them work opportunities and possibilities to advance now we're doing the same and this is the reason for the need to have a visa to travel to Spain", said Montalban. The European Parliament mandated visas for Bolivians on December 2006 following the analysis of migration flow to the EU based on details provided by member countries.