MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, December 11th 2025 - 23:03 UTC

Tag: Bolivia

  • Thursday, January 16th 2025 - 20:26 UTC

    Bolivian Environment Minister sacked amid corruption probe

    Lisperguer owned nine properties when he had declared just one in his affidavit

    Alan Lisperguer was sacked Wednesday as Bolivia's Minister of Environment and Water after the Institutional Transparency and Fight against Corruption Vice Ministry detected his involvement in illicit enrichment plus a submission of a false affidavit. The investigation had been triggered by suspicious bank deposits, irregular movements, and a disproportionate increase in Lisperguer's assets. The case was now brought before the Public Prosecutor's Office.

  • Monday, January 13th 2025 - 06:00 UTC

    Boliviana de Aviación riddled with complaints for delays and cancellations

    BoA's main problems stem from the Janine Áñez years, Montaño argued

    Bolivian flag carrier Boliviana de Aviación (BoA) faces substantial fines worth up to 1,472,416 bolivianos (US$ 211,864) for its 2024 noncompliances while five incidents have already been recorded this year for constant delays, flight cancellations, and poor handling of passenger complaints, Bolivia's Telecommunications and Transport Regulation and Supervision Authority (ATT) explained.

  • Tuesday, January 7th 2025 - 09:45 UTC

    Fugitive Chilean guerrilla captured in Bolivia

    Muñoz Hoffman was the last fugitive of the four guerrillas who staged the legendary “Flight of Justice” in 1996

    Former Chilean guerrilla fighter Pablo Muñoz Hoffman was arrested Monday in La Paz, Bolivia, after 29 years at large following a movie-style jailbreak using a helicopter. Together with Mauricio Hernández Norambuena, Ricardo Palma Salamanca, and Patricio Ortiz Montenegro, all members of the now-defunct Manuel Rodríguez Patriotic Front (FPMR), they staged the so-called “Flight of Justice.”

  • Friday, January 3rd 2025 - 10:10 UTC

    Covid-19 resurfaces abruptly in Bolivian Dept. of Santa Cruz

    Last week 14 Covid-related deaths were reported in Chile

    Health authorities in the Bolivian Department of Santa Cruz Thursday said that an “abrupt” increase in Covid-19 cases had been detected, due to which they encouraged residents to update their vaccination schemes and adopt all biosecurity protocols. A total of 290 infections were reported last week, 11 of which required hospitalization, including three under ventilation in intensive care units, and one death on Dec. 28. All 11 are unvaccinated patients, it was also explained.

  • Monday, December 16th 2024 - 10:28 UTC

    Number of casualties of illegal mining in Bolivia soars

    Local communities are split between those who oppose these activities and those woul admit they are heavily dependent on them

    At least 119 deaths have been recorded in Bolivia in 2024 as a result of illegal mining. This figure represents an alarming increase over previous years. Most of these deaths have occurred in illegal or unregulated operations, where working conditions are hazardous, Special Force to Fight Crime (Felcc) Potosí Director Marco Antonio Dávalos explained, in whose jurisdiction 113 deaths were reported.

  • Monday, December 9th 2024 - 22:08 UTC

    Argentine PNA to patrol Bolivia-bordering river

    “We have also come to this area to say enough,” Bullrich insisted

    Argentine authorities have taken steps towards patrolling the Bolivia-bordering Bermejo River with Coast Guard (Prefectura Naval Argentina - PNA) units so as not to leave the neighboring country as the only one with an armed presence in the area, Security Minister Patricia Bullrich announced.

  • Thursday, December 5th 2024 - 21:09 UTC

    Bolivia's main airport out of operation for hours

    The former FedEx aircraft blocked Viru Viru's runway for a few hours after a landing gear problem

    An undercarriage failure resulted in a Transporte Aéreo Boliviano (TAB) McDonnell-Douglas freighter blocking the only runway at Santa Cruz de la Sierra's Viru Viru International Airport early Thursday. It was not until way past dawn that operations went back to normal. In the meantime, most flights were diverted to Asunción (Paraguay).

  • Wednesday, December 4th 2024 - 10:00 UTC

    Former Bolivian president Sánchez de Lozada sentenced to 6 years in jail

    Sánchez de Losada, 94, has lived in the United States since fleeing Bolivia amid social unrest resulting in some 60 deaths

    Bolivia's Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) Tuesday sentenced former President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada (1993-1997 and 2002-2003) to 6 years in jail for signing numerous oil contracts without parliamentary approval. The 94-year-old former head of State resides in the United States and it remains to be seen whether he can be extradited.

  • Thursday, November 28th 2024 - 10:45 UTC

    Bolivia highlights gas pumping deal as a source of hard currency

    “We are estimating more than 10 million dollars per month,” Montenegro said

    Bolivia will be collecting some US$ 120 million yearly for allowing Argentine gas from Vaca Muerta through to Brazil, Economy Minister Marcelo Montenegro explained Wednesday during a press conference in which he highlighted the importance of Tuesday's agreement to bringing fresh foreign currency into the country's coffers in addition to its strategic nature in a regional context riddled with energy challenges.

  • Wednesday, November 27th 2024 - 10:00 UTC

    YPFB okays Argentina pumping gas to Brazil through Bolivia

    The agreement with Argentina's Total Energies and Brazil's Grupo Matrix Energía “represents a crucial step,” Dorgathen said

    Bolivia's State-run Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos (YPFB) agreed to allow Argentina to pump gas to Brazil through the existing pipeline, company President Armin Dorgathen announced Tuesday during the International Forum on Hydrocarbons, Fertilizers, Renewable and Alternative Energies in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. “We will promote the efficient flow of gas between Argentina and Brazil, taking advantage of existing infrastructure and strengthening regional cooperation,” he said.