MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bolivia and Chile boost diplomatic ties

BoA will fly between Santa Cruz and Santiago twice a week with a stopover in Iquique

Bolivia and Chile agreed during a ceremony Saturday at Viru Viru airport in Santa Cruz on mutual exemption of visas and residence permits for holders of diplomatic and official passports. The event took place as the first Boliviana de Aviación to Santiago -with a stopover in Iquique- was to depart.

Signing on behalf of Bolivia was Foreign Minister Celinda Sosa, while Chile was represented by Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs Gloria de la Fuente. The understanding eliminates visa and residence permit requirements for diplomatic officials and their families, facilitating mobility and strengthening institutional ties.

The document further highlights a deepening commitment to trust, respect, and cooperation, aiming to advance bilateral relations and regional integration, Sosa explained. It also reflects the shared will to continue strengthening bilateral ties through concrete measures that facilitate the exercise of diplomatic and consular functions.

“We deeply appreciate the willingness of the Government of the Republic of Chile to work together on this agreement. The trust built in the framework of this process motivates us to continue advancing in new understandings that benefit our institutions and, above all, our peoples,” she noted.

Meanwhile, the launching of Boliviana de Aviación's (BoA) new route was celebrated with cultural performances, including Bolivia’s National Anthem and morenada music. The service is hoped to boost trade, tourism, and integration as it reflects a joint commitment by Presidents Luis Arce Catacora and Gabriel Boric Font to strengthen bilateral ties.

BoA will operate the route twice weekly, catering to Bolivian residents in Chile and tourists. Public Works Minister Edgar Montaño Montaño highlighted plans for land integration.

“To be able to be here today, to be able to make this route, which is a very relevant symbol of the very concrete progress we have made during this time in the relationship with Bolivia. An agenda that has been very positive,” de la Fuente said.