MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UN: Bolivia loses voting rights over unpaid membership dues

Pary stressed that Bolivia has had an active role within the UN

Former Foreign Minister Diego Pary (2018-19), who resigned as Bolivia's permanent representative to the United Nations (UN) last year, has said that his country has lost its voting rights within the global organization due to unpaid membership dues for the 2024-2025 term, amounting roughly to US$ 780,000.

Hence, the South American mission is banned from voting in the General Assembly as per Article 19 of the UN Charter, effective since Jan. 1 this year.

“The minimum amount due until December 2024 was US$780,000, but it was not paid and, since January 1, Bolivia cannot vote,” Pary said.

He also criticized President Luis Arce Catacora's poor management and lack of commitment to multilateral diplomacy, noting that only a few other countries, such as Afghanistan and Venezuela, were also in arrears

Pary, who served under Evo Morales’ administration and is of Quechua origin, emphasized the importance of the UN as a platform for Bolivia to address global issues and maintain international relevance. He warned that the failure to pay dues damages the country's credibility, legal security, and ability to attract investment.

“It is a space where all global issues are dealt with. It is not always possible to influence all of them, because there are more powerful countries, but Bolivia has the opportunity to put its issues of interest on the agenda and remain relevant in the international community,” he explained.

“A UN resolution does not change the history of a country immediately, but it can generate important dynamics. If the UN declares that a country is not democratic, it can provoke instability,” he also mentioned.

Additionally, Pary expressed concern over the broader crisis in Bolivian diplomacy and the government’s deviation from indigenous values, as well as its use of charges like “terrorism” to persecute protest leaders. He has also represented Bolivia before the Organization of American States (OAS).