Bolivia: Militarization of the Border to Combat Smuggling Demanded
Bolivia Border Officer, Oct 2024 Photo: @CronicaB0livia
October 7, 2024 Hour: 1:42 pm
According to a check in the markets of La Paz, there is evidence of an increase in the price of chicken meat, which is currently only arriving from Santa Cruz, and is being sold at 15.80 bolivianos per kilograms (2.25 dollars).
On Monday, faced with the increase in Bolivia of so-called reverse food smuggling, mainly to Peru, the Vice-Ministry of User and Consumer Defense called for the militarization of the borders with the neighboring country.
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“We are informed that some chicken wholesalers are taking chicken to Peru because the price (in the neighboring country) is higher than what we have here (…),” said the deputy minister in charge of this area, Jorge Silva.
The authority warned that this irregularity is not only with chicken, but also with pork, beef, rice, flour and sugar.
He stated that President Luis Arce will be asked to militarize the border area with Peru to prevent Bolivian foodstuffs from being smuggled into Peruvian territory.
He indicated that, according to a check in the markets of La Paz, there is evidence of an increase in the price of chicken meat, which is currently only arriving from Santa Cruz, and is being sold at 15.80 bolivianos per kilograms (2.25 dollars).
According to Silva, in addition to this, some wholesalers are reportedly moving the main foodstuffs in the family basket to neighboring countries.
He recalled that every day in the markets the price of these products increases due to the difference in prices, especially with Peru.
(…) So in order to prevent our products from being smuggled out,’ Silva ratified, “we are going to request the militarization of these border points, especially with Desaguadero”.
During an interview with the state-run Bolivia TV channel, Silva announced the implementation of a new plan to ensure that basic goods reach consumers and are not diverted in what he called ‘reverse smuggling’.
He said that in the past, goods from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru were smuggled in, but now, with prices in those territories double or triple those in Bolivia, Bolivian goods are being illegally sold there.
The deputy minister avoided giving details of the new anti-smuggling plan so as not to alert the network of these criminals who operate in the country and remove national products.
Autor: OSG
Fuente: The Independent-The Star
