Bolivia Embracing Ghost Recon Wildlands: A Cultural Perspective

In 2017, Ubisoft's Ghost Recon Wildlands sparked a diplomatic incident with Bolivia over its fictional portrayal of the country as a narco-state. The Bolivian government sent a formal complaint to the French embassy in La Paz, threatening legal action over the game's depiction of Bolivia as an area controlled by drug traffickers. While Ubisoft stressed the game's fictional nature, the Bolivian interior minister, Carlos Romero, preferred to pursue diplomatic negotiations. The controversy highlighted the game's use of Bolivian landscapes and culture as inspiration, including the country's complex history with coca leaves and drug cartels. Despite the dispute, some Bolivian players expressed appreciation for Ubisoft's efforts in capturing the beauty of rural Bolivia within the game.

The Bolivian government sent a formal complaint about the game to the French embassy

The Bolivian government was not pleased with the portrayal of their country in Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands. The interior minister, Carlos Romero, sent a formal complaint to the French embassy in La Paz, threatening legal action against Ubisoft, the game's publisher. Bolivia was depicted as an area controlled by a drug cartel, which Romero argued was unfair and inaccurate.

In the game's fictional narrative, a powerful Mexican drug cartel takes over Bolivia, turning it into a "narco-state." With the country being one of the largest producers of coca leaves, it becomes the largest producer of cocaine, generating $2 billion per week. While Ubisoft emphasised the fictional nature of the game, the Bolivian government was not appeased. Romero stated that they preferred to resolve the issue through diplomatic negotiation rather than legal action.

Ubisoft responded to the controversy by reaffirming their right to create fictional works. They acknowledged that while the game drew inspiration from real-world issues, it was set in an alternate reality. The company also highlighted their admiration for Bolivia's landscapes and culture, stating that they hoped the in-game world captured the country's beautiful topography.

The controversy surrounding Ghost Recon Wildlands sheds light on the sensitive nature of depicting real-world issues in entertainment media. While Ubisoft took creative liberties, the Bolivian government's reaction underscores the impact such portrayals can have on a country's image and reputation.

It is worth noting that Ubisoft did conduct extensive research for the game, sending four teams to different parts of Bolivia to study its landscapes and culture. However, the in-game story, which involves a cartel influencing the government, struck a nerve with the Bolivian authorities. This incident highlights the challenges faced by creators when navigating sensitive topics and the potential for backlash when fictional narratives intersect with real-world complexities.

Bolivia is the world's third-largest producer of coca leaves

Coca has been cultivated in medium-altitude parts of the Bolivian Andes since at least the Inca era, primarily in the Yungas north and east of La Paz. Coca is a cash crop, and in Bolivia, it is grown by small farmers. The traditional use of coca leaves is 5000 years old in Bolivia, where it is sold in local markets and by street vendors. Most people chew coca, and its cultivation and consumption are part of the national culture.

Coca is also a powerful symbol of cultural and religious identity among the indigenous nations of South America. The coca leaf plays a major role in Andean medicine. Traditionally, coca is used as a stimulant to overcome fatigue, hunger, and thirst, and it's particularly effective against altitude sickness. It is also used as an anesthetic and analgesic for headaches, rheumatism, wounds, and sores. The high calcium content also explains why people used coca for bone fractures. It also serves to suppress bleeding, and as a treatment for malaria, ulcers, asthma, and indigestion.

In 2009, the UN Office of Drug Control estimated that 30,900 hectares of coca were planted in Bolivia, making it the third-largest producer after Colombia and Peru. Sales of coca leaf amounted to approximately US$265 million in 2009, representing 14% of all agricultural sales and 2% of Bolivia's GDP.

Ubisoft sent four teams to different parts of Bolivia for research

Ubisoft sent four teams to different parts of Bolivia to research the landscape and culture. The game features the areas where coca leaves are grown (Los Yungas and El Chapare), the salt flats, the heavily forested part of the country (which is called the Orient and where the Amazon ends), the Andean side with its mountains and zig-zagging roads, and small towns.

No "real" part of Bolivia was mapped out, but the game was inspired by certain locations. The closest real-world location is the Red Lagoon. The game's map is fictional but captures rural Bolivia perfectly.

Ubisoft's efforts are reflected in the final product, with one player commenting:

> Ubisoft did a fantastic job in designing the map which although fictional captures perfectly rural Bolivia.

However, the game does have some notable omissions. Urban Bolivia is not represented in the game, and neither are the capital cities of its nine states, three of which are pretty modern. Most of the population (70%) live in these cities. The player also notes that the Spanish-speaking characters mostly speak with a Mexican accent, not a Bolivian one.

The game's Spanish-speaking characters mostly speak with a Mexican accent

The video game Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands is set in Bolivia, where Spanish is the main language spoken. However, the Spanish-speaking characters in the game mostly speak with a Mexican accent and use Mexican slang. This has been noted by players of the game, with some finding it jarring or immersion-breaking. One player from Argentina noted that each country has its own unique dialect and that the Bolivian accent in the game sounded Mexican. Another player, a native of Bolivia, stated that this was their biggest gripe with the game, as it made sense for the cartel characters but not for the Bolivian non-player characters.

The game's story involves a powerful Mexican drug cartel taking over Bolivia and turning it into a "narco-state". This storyline caused controversy with the Bolivian government, who sent a formal complaint to the French embassy and threatened legal action against the game's publisher, Ubisoft. The interior minister, Carlos Romero, stated that the game unfairly portrayed Bolivia as being under the control of a drug cartel. Ubisoft responded by reaffirming their right to create fictional works and stating that Bolivia was chosen for its magnificent landscapes and rich culture.

The use of Mexican accents and slang in the game may be due to the influence of the Mexican cartel in the story, or it could be a result of the logistical challenges and costs of hiring Bolivian voice actors. Some players have offered possible explanations, such as assuming that the sicarios (hitmen) in the game are originally from Mexico. Others have pointed out that most non-Spanish speakers may not even notice the difference, and it might have gone unnoticed during the game's development.

Ubisoft commissioned a documentary about the impact of the drug trade on Bolivia and South America

Ubisoft's Ghost Recon Wildlands caused a diplomatic incident with the Bolivian government, which took issue with the game's depiction of Bolivia as a country controlled by drug traffickers. In response, Bolivia made a formal complaint to the French embassy in La Paz, threatening legal action.

In the game, a fictional Mexican cartel, Santa Blanca, has turned Bolivia into a narco-state, with the country becoming the world's largest producer of cocaine, making $2 billion a week. While Ubisoft stressed that the game is a work of fiction, the Bolivian government was unmoved, stating that the game unfairly portrays the country.

Ahead of the game's release, Ubisoft commissioned a documentary called Wildlands, which investigates the impact of the drug trade on Bolivia and South America. The documentary was initially intended as a marketing tool, but it soon evolved into a separate product. Mark Slaughter, Ubisoft's UK marketing boss, stated that the goal was to "create a truly compelling piece of content" that could stand alone as a documentary.

The documentary delves into the serious issue of narco-trafficking, featuring interviews with former cocaine smuggler George Jung, former US Navy SEAL Adam Newbold, former D.E.A. agents, drug runners, and a former hitman of Pablo Escobar. While it provides a more factual portrayal of the drug trade than the game, the documentary was still criticised in Bolivia for its sensationalised tone.

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