Seeking Political Asylum: Bolivia's Complex Reality

Bolivia has a history of welcoming refugees, notably 30,000 Jewish refugees between 1938 and 1941, and the country is an advocate for statehood for refugees worldwide. However, seeking asylum in Bolivia is a rare and challenging process, with the government granting asylum at its discretion, only if an applicant can prove they face financial, physical, or other dangers upon returning to their home country.

Political asylum for Bolivians in other countries

In 2022, 780 people from Bolivia fled and applied for asylum in other countries, according to the UNHCR. This corresponds to approximately 0.006% of all residents. The most common destination countries have been the United States, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Of the asylum applications, 85% have been rejected. The most successful applications have been from those seeking refuge in Brazil and the United Kingdom.

The United States received 458 asylum applications from Bolivian refugees in 2022, with 5 positive decisions, resulting in a 22.73% acceptance rate. An additional 17 applications were rejected, with no decisions made on the remaining applications for that year.

The United Kingdom has also been a successful destination for Bolivian asylum seekers, with a relatively higher acceptance rate compared to other countries.

It is important to note that seeking asylum in Bolivia itself is a rare and challenging process. In most cases, it is granted at the discretion of the Bolivian government, and only if the applicant can demonstrate a well-founded fear of persecution or a risk of facing financial destitution, harassment, or physical danger upon returning to their home country.

Historically, Bolivia has been characterized as a country of emigration, with internal migration flows and a significant number of its citizens choosing to live and work abroad. Argentina has been the main destination for Bolivian emigrants, followed by Spain and the United States.

Bolivia's acceptance of Jewish refugees during the Holocaust

During the Holocaust, Bolivia accepted more than 20,000 Jewish refugees between 1938 and 1941. This was largely thanks to Mauricio Hochschild, a German-Jewish mining magnate who controlled one-third of Bolivia's mineral production and had ties to Bolivian President Germán Busch.

Following the Chaco War with Paraguay (1932-1935), Busch wanted to revive the Bolivian economy by admitting European immigrants. Hochschild used this opportunity to facilitate a regular flow of German and Austrian Jewish immigrants. He established two organisations to help the refugees: SOPRO (the Society for the Protection of Israeli Immigrants) and SOCOBO (Colonization Society of Bolivia). Through these organisations, and with the assistance of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, he provided monetary assistance, clothing, dental work, and advice on immigration and legalization matters.

Jewish refugees obtained visas from five Bolivian consulates in Europe (Zurich, Paris, London, Berlin, and Vienna) and were shipped off to Arica, Chile, where they were then taken by train to La Paz, Bolivia, in what became known as the "Express Judio" ("Jewish Express"). The majority of immigrants lived in La Paz and Cochabamba, while others settled in Oruro, Sucre, Potosi, Santa Cruz, and Tarija.

While many Jewish refugees eventually slipped into neighbouring countries, particularly Argentina, Bolivia's acceptance of refugees during the Holocaust stands as a notable exception to the increasing anti-Semitism and resistance to immigration in Latin America at the time.

Climate refugees in Bolivia

Bolivia, a landlocked country in the heart of South America, is facing a crisis of climate refugees. The country is mountainous and has a diverse population, with 36 languages and 51 indigenous groups. Since gaining independence in 1825, Bolivia has experienced around 190 revolutions and coups.

Bolivia is one of the nations least responsible for climate change, yet it is one of the most visibly affected. Whole glaciers have melted, and in 2016, the country's second-largest lake, Lake Poopó, dried up and vanished. This event led to nearly a thousand refugees coming down from the mountains and forming shanty towns outside of La Paz. The melting of glaciers, drought, and changing climate conditions could be a huge source of instability, refugees, and immigration in the future.

The increasing frequency of climate shocks, combined with the vulnerability of Bolivia's population, makes the country uniquely prone to natural disasters. When climate change does not force migration directly, it sharpens existing points of insecurity. For example, the small village of Santiago K, which had been thriving with the growing global demand for quinoa, experienced two years of drought and rising temperatures that dried up the river and quinoa fields. As a result, a wave of migration to cities occurred as people searched for work. About 125 families lived in Santiago K before the 2015-2016 drought, and only an estimated 25 remain.

Rural migration within Bolivia tends to flow towards urban areas like El Alto, a booming city above La Paz. Bolivia is currently going through a process of deruralization, with thousands of people leaving the countryside and migrating towards cities, where there are better job opportunities.

Additionally, lack of economic opportunity and changing climate conditions are creating large flows of migrants from Bolivia across the Argentine border. Water access and extreme poverty are also driving factors for immigration and refugees in Bolivia. The glaciers of the Andes are melting at an extreme rate, and by most estimates, all of them will be gone by the end of the century. Thirty percent of the 2.3 million people from El Alto and La Paz depend on these glaciers for water.

To address the challenges posed by climate change and reduce the number of climate refugees, regional and international partners will be necessary. Bolivian President Evo Morales has shown a commitment to the environment by granting rights to the land and Earth itself.

Political refugees from Bolivia

Bolivia has a history of political turmoil, with a total of around 190 revolutions and coups since the country gained independence in 1825. In more recent years, Bolivia has been facing a crisis of climate refugees, with the drying up of Lake Poopo leading to the displacement of nearly a thousand people. This has resulted in the formation of shanty towns outside of La Paz, one of the most catastrophic refugee events in Bolivia.

For example, former consul general in Washington, D.C., Carlos Hugo Jiminez, fled to Canada after receiving death threats due to his political affiliation. As of 2016, he had been waiting for four years to receive his asylum status.

Bolivia itself has also provided protection to refugees and asylum seekers, although the number of such individuals in the country is quite low. During World War II, Bolivia welcomed 30,000 Jewish refugees from 1938 to 1941, in contrast to most countries that were closing their borders. Bolivian consulates in European capitals provided visas, and refugees flew to Chile before boarding a train to La Paz, known as El Expres Judio due to the large number of Jewish refugees.

Emigration from Bolivia

Bolivia has been characterised as a country of emigration, with an estimated 7% of the population (over 700,000 people) living abroad. The main destination for those emigrating from Bolivia is Argentina, which is home to around 423,000 Bolivian emigrants. Spain is the second most common destination, with 160,000 Bolivian immigrants, followed by the United States, with 458 asylum seekers in 2022. Other common destinations include Brazil and the United Kingdom.

The reasons for emigration from Bolivia include low levels of training, low salaries, lack of jobs, and precarious employment conditions. Neighbouring countries, particularly Argentina and Brazil, attract young and relatively inexpensive Bolivian workers, mainly to work in the textile industry.

Internal migration is also common in Bolivia, with thousands of people leaving the countryside for the cities, where there are better job opportunities. This phenomenon of internal migration coexists with that of emigration, with some segments of the population, mainly urban and with certain socioeconomic characteristics, choosing to leave the country.

Bolivia has also experienced small waves of immigration, mainly during the 20th century, with small groups of Jews, Arabs, Mennonites, and Japanese arriving in the country. A recent census estimates that the immigrant population now stands at approximately 100,000 people, or 1.1% of the total population.

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