
Bolivian president Evo Morales is considering the purchase of naval vessels to operate from the port of Ilo on the South Pacific coast helping the country to develop for the first time in 130 years its maritime resources.

Bolivian President Evo Morales announced Wednesday the expropriation and transfer to a provincial government of the 33% stake in the regional cement factory Fancesa.

A total of 19 pink freshwater dolphins belonging to an extremely rare species living in the east of landlocked Bolivia have been rescued from a river covered in mud and deforestation residue, reported the Santa Cruz province governors’ office.

Brazilian government managed energy giant Petrobras said Bolivian natural gas will remain important for energy-hungry Brazil, where demand for that fuel is expected to triple over the next four years, Bolivian daily La Razon reported.

Physical integration particularly in energy and access to the sea were two of the main issues addressed by the presidents of Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia, (Fernando Lugo, Jose Mujica and Evo Morales), during their Sunday meeting in Asunción in the framework of Urupabol, the regional group which brings together the three countries.

Bolivia’s proven gas reserves stand at 19 trillion cubic feet, which means the country can address domestic and foreign demand comfortably during the next 20 years announced Friday by Energy and Hydrocarbons minister Fernando Vincenti.

The Aymara priest who blessed Bolivian President Evo Morales at an inauguration ceremony four years ago has been arrested in possession of 240 kilos of cocaine, police said.

Chile and Bolivian Defence ministers and Army commanders will be meeting Thursday to sign documents declaring Fields free of mines, the border areas of Tambo Quemado 1 and Tambo Quemado 2 along their common border which until only recently were planted with thousands of mines.

Paraguayan officials downplayed statements by Brazil’s main opposition presidential candidate Jose Serra who said that Brazil is doing “philanthropy with Paraguay and Bolivia”.

Natural gas-rich Bolivia has invited Paraguay and Uruguay to confirm sufficient demand to justify the building of a commercially viable 2.000 kilometres pipeline linking with Asunción and Montevideo.