Bolivia's Progress: An Update On The Country's Recent Developments

Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the fifth-largest country in South America and the 27th largest in the world. Bolivia is a unitary multiparty republic with a population of around 12 million people. The country is very diverse, with Amerindians, Mestizos, Europeans, Asians, and Africans making up its population. The official language is Spanish, although 36 indigenous languages also have official status. Bolivia is rich in natural resources, with mining and agriculture being the main sectors of its economy. The country has struggled with political instability and democratic backsliding but has recently achieved important economic recovery and poverty reduction. Bolivia faces challenges such as high public debt, declining natural gas production, and vulnerability to climate-related disasters.

Bolivia's economy and natural resources

Bolivia is a country rich in natural resources, and its economy has historically been reliant on these resources. Bolivia's economy is the 95th-largest in the world in nominal terms and the 87th-largest in purchasing power parity. The country is classified by the World Bank as a lower-middle-income country. Bolivia's economy has traditionally been centred around a single commodity, shifting from silver to tin to coca over time. Despite this, the country has experienced only occasional periods of economic diversification.

The mining industry, particularly the extraction of natural gas, zinc, and other minerals, currently dominates Bolivia's export economy. Bolivia has the second-largest natural gas reserves in South America, and the export of these resources has become a primary source of income for the Bolivian state. The country also has significant oil reserves, estimated at 2,475,558,137 cubic feet, mainly located in the eastern and southern regions. Bolivia has also become a leader in lithium reserves, with deposits of around 5.5 million tons, although the development of these reserves has been limited due to environmental concerns.

Agriculture is another vital sector of the Bolivian economy, with arable land covering approximately 4.13% of the country's total land area in 2014. The agricultural sector gained prominence in the 1980s due to the country's need for economic diversification. Bolivia's agricultural exports include soybeans, coffee, and sugar, with Brazil and Peru being key trading partners. The livestock industry is also well-developed, with cattle, pigs, goats, and sheep being reared across the country.

Bolivia's economy faces several challenges, including volatility in global prices for oil and natural gas, and the impact of natural disasters on its agricultural sector. Additionally, illegal and unsustainable mining practices, particularly in the gold sector, have been common. Despite these challenges, Bolivia has shown strong historical growth, recovering from the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and achieving a growth rate of 3.48% of GDP in 2022.

Political situation and history of coups

Bolivia has experienced over 190 coups and attempted coups since gaining independence in 1825, the most recent of which took place in June 2024. The country has shifted between military and civilian rule throughout its history, with democratically elected governments only in power from 1952 to 1964 and from 1982 until the present day.

Pre-1952

The first coup in Bolivian history occurred in 1828, when an army mutiny led to the deposition of President Antonio José de Sucre. The following decades saw a succession of military leaders overthrow one another, with brief periods of democracy in between.

1952-1964

In 1952, the Revolutionary Nationalist Movement (MNR) led a revolution that opened the state to democracy for all, including the indigenous population, through a new constitution. However, the MNR government was terminated by a military coup in 1964 due to internal ideological and administrative contradictions and a dependence on the military to survive.

1964-1982

The military ruled Bolivia during this period, with a few brief periods of civilian rule.

1982-present

Bolivia returned to civilian rule in 1982 due to a strong civil resistance movement. However, the country has continued to experience political instability and attempted coups, including in 1984 and 2024.

2019-2024

In 2019, the then-president, leftist leader Evo Morales, sought reelection to a controversial fourth term in office. Morales's narrow victory in that year's general election was beset by allegations of fraud, sparking mass protests that prompted his resignation and the installation of an interim government led by Jeanine Áñez. A re-run of the election in 2020 saw Luis Arce, Morales's chosen successor and former finance minister, win the presidency. However, a widening rift emerged between Arce and Morales over dueling presidential ambitions, culminating in Arce's expulsion from Morales's party and Morales's announcement that he would run in the 2025 election. By the start of 2024, Morales's party had splintered into opposing factions loyal to either Arce or Morales, and the country faced a growing economic crisis.

On 26 June 2024, an attempted military coup occurred in Bolivia, orchestrated by dissident officers of the Armed Forces led by General Juan José Zúñiga. Armed troops occupied the Plaza Murillo in La Paz, the political heart of the country, but withdrew after the appointment of a new military high command and amid domestic and international pressure. The coup plot lacked meaningful military or political support and was met with bipartisan domestic and international condemnation. Following his arrest, Zúñiga asserted that the coup attempt had been a ruse masterminded by Arce to drum up popular support, a claim that Arce categorically denied.

Climate change and environmental policy

Bolivia is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. As one of the poorest countries in Latin America with high levels of inequality, low-income groups are particularly exposed to climate change. Bolivia also has the highest percentage of indigenous people in South America, where much of the poverty and inequality is concentrated. The country is also one of the most biodiverse in the world, with a wide variety of ecosystems that are vulnerable to climate change.

More than half of Bolivia is Amazonian, with high levels of deforestation that add to the country's vulnerability to flooding. Bolivia is located in a climatically volatile region and is one of the countries in the world most affected by natural disasters in recent years. The country is also home to about 20% of the world's tropical glaciers, which are retreating more quickly than predicted.

In 2009, a team of Oxfam researchers travelled to Bolivia and found that the climate was already changing, with poor women and men experiencing the consequences. The main impacts of climate change on Bolivia are expected to be:

• Glacial retreat affecting water availability
• More frequent and intense natural disasters
• An increase in mosquito-borne diseases
• Forest fires
• Reduced food security

Bolivia has recognised the threat of climate change and has begun to take steps to address it. The country has submitted two Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), with the second submitted in April 2022. This updated NDC includes 31 specific targets to be achieved by 2030, focusing on water, energy, forests, and agriculture sectors.

The National Climate Change Program (PNCC) was created in 1995 and acts as a technical advisor to the government on climate change adaptation issues. The Bolivian Strategy on Climate Change is based on four areas:

• Promoting clean development by introducing technological changes in the agriculture, forestry, and industrial sectors to reduce GHG emissions.
• Contributing to carbon management in forests, wetlands, and other managed natural ecosystems.
• Increasing effectiveness in energy supply and use to mitigate the effects of GHG emissions and the risk of contingencies.
• Improving observations and understanding of environmental changes in Bolivia to develop effective and timely responses.

Bolivia has also incorporated cross-cutting policies and programs into the 2006-2010 National Development Program to guarantee an early response to the impacts of climate change. The country issued its National Adaptation Plan (MNACC) in 2007, which aims to reduce vulnerability to climate change and promote planned adaptation within the framework of various sectoral programs.

Despite these efforts, Bolivia still needs to develop and implement a comprehensive national policy on climate change. It also needs to strengthen its institutional, financial, and technical capacity to address the climate challenge effectively.

Society, culture and demographics

Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country in central South America. It is bordered by Brazil to the north and east, Paraguay and Argentina to the south, Chile to the southwest, and Peru to the west. Bolivia has a multiethnic population of approximately 12 million people. The country is inhabited mostly by Mestizo, Quechua, and Aymara people, with minorities including 37 indigenous groups. Spanish is the official and predominant language, although 36 indigenous languages also have official status, including Guaraní, Aymara, and Quechua.

The cultural development of Bolivia is divided into three distinct periods: pre-Columbian, colonial, and republican. Important archaeological ruins, gold and silver ornaments, stone monuments, ceramics, and weavings remain from several important pre-Columbian cultures. Major ruins include Tiwanaku, Samaipata, Inkallaqta, and Iskanwaya. The Spanish colonial period brought a rich and distinctive style of architecture, literature, and sculpture known as "Mestizo Baroque." This period also saw the development of native baroque religious music, which has been internationally acclaimed since its recovery in recent years.

Bolivian cuisine stems mainly from the combination of Spanish cuisine with traditional native Bolivian ingredients, later influenced by immigrants from Germany, Italy, Russia, and other countries. The three traditional staples of Bolivian cuisine are maize, potatoes, and beans, combined with European staples like rice, wheat, beef, pork, and chicken.

The country's religious landscape is dominated by Christianity, with Roman Catholicism being the largest denomination. Pagan rites from the pre-Columbian era still persist during the religious festivals of the Natives, and clothing reminiscent of pre-Columbian Indians and 16th-century Spaniards is often worn during these celebrations.

Association football is the most popular sport in Bolivia, with the national team currently ranked 75th in the world. Bolivia's regional folk music is distinctive and varied, with some tunes containing strong Spanish influences.

Bolivia has a young population, with a median age of 24.9 years. The population density is 11 people per square kilometre, and the overall life expectancy is 68.2 years. The total fertility rate is 2.1 children per woman, and the gender ratio of the total population is 0.99 males per female. The average monthly household income was Bs.1,378 ($293) in 1994 and has since increased substantially.

Healthcare and social welfare

Bolivia has made significant strides in healthcare and social welfare in recent years. The country's universal healthcare system, established in 2019, has been recognised by the World Health Organization as a model for other nations. Between 2006 and 2016, extreme poverty in Bolivia decreased from 38.2% to 16.8%, and chronic malnutrition in children under five years of age also dropped by 14%. The child mortality rate was reduced by more than 50%, and before Morales took office, nearly half of all infants were vaccinated; now, nearly all are.

Additionally, the Bolivian government has implemented several supplemental nutrition programs, including an effort to supply free food in public health and social security offices. The desnutrición cero (zero malnutrition) program also provides free school lunches.

In terms of social welfare, Bolivia has one of the highest rates of femicide and gender-based violence in Latin America. To address this issue, the Comprehensive Law to Guarantee Women a Life Free from Violence was passed in 2013. This law codified 16 types of gender-based violence and implemented measures for prevention, protection for victims, and the punishment of aggressors. As of 2022, 46% of parliamentary seats are held by women, thanks to a 1997 law that established a 30% quota for female candidates in political parties.

Bolivia has also made notable progress in education. In 2008, the country was declared free of illiteracy, becoming the fourth South American nation to attain this status.

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