Bolivia's Crime: A Comprehensive Overview

Bolivia has a homicide rate of 63 murders per 1,000,000 people, with 686 reported homicides in 2016. The country has a history of weak governance, and its judicial system is widely regarded as an impediment to the fight against crime, with delayed criminal procedures and corrupt networks of lawyers, prosecutors, and judges profiting from victims. Organised crime groups use Bolivia's 6,800 km of remote and mountainous borderlines to smuggle people and illicit produce, especially drugs, in and out of the country. The country's criminal justice system is ineffective, with weak rule of law and high levels of impunity for state-embedded actors involved in criminal operations.

Bolivia's homicide rate

While Bolivia has far lower levels of theft and violent crime than neighbouring countries like Peru and Brazil, crime levels have been rising in recent years. Most crime against tourists is opportunistic theft, and violence is rare. However, tourists should still take precautions to ensure their safety and reduce the risk of becoming a victim of crime.

Express kidnapping, where armed men enter a taxi or minibus and take the victims to a secret location to force them to reveal their ATM PIN, has been an issue in Bolivia, especially on the La Paz-Copacabana route. In some cases, the kidnapped travellers were murdered. Therefore, it is recommended to use larger buses when travelling on this route and to be cautious when arriving after dark in the cemetery district of La Paz.

Although robbery is uncommon in rural areas, campsites on popular trekking routes have been targeted. It is advised to keep possessions inside the tent at night, avoid camping near villages, and seek local advice before embarking on a trek.

Domestic violence

According to CIDEM, 70% of women in Bolivia suffer some form of abuse, with 90% experiencing some form of violence and 87% experiencing it within the family. The National Statistical Institute's 2003 survey on domestic violence revealed that 64% of women were the target of some form of emotional, physical, or sexual abuse from their partner. This abuse often has side effects such as frequent headaches, bursts of fear, hearing voices, seizures, and/or convulsions, which can lead to suicidal thoughts.

The problem of domestic violence in Bolivia is made worse by a lack of access to mental health services. The country has a ratio of less than 1 mental health provider per 100 citizens, and the available services are too expensive for the average citizen. Additionally, the country's informal living quarters, which lack basic services like water, can expose residents to violence.

In recent years, Bolivia has taken steps to address domestic violence. In 2013, the country passed a comprehensive domestic violence law that outlaws many forms of abuse of women, including marital rape. This law also created the crime of "femicide" and called for the establishment of shelters, special prosecutors, and courts for gender-based crimes. Despite these efforts, impunity for violent crime remains a serious problem in Bolivia, with human rights defenders facing harassment and a hostile work environment.

Human trafficking

Bolivia is a source country for men, women, and children who are exploited in sex trafficking and forced labour. Rural and poor Bolivians, particularly those from indigenous communities, and LGBTI youth are most at risk of being trafficked. Bolivian women and girls are often trafficked to neighbouring countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Panama, Peru, and Chile, where they are forced to work in clandestine sewing workshops, agricultural labour, or commercial sexual exploitation. Within Bolivia, victims of forced labour can be found in domestic work, mining, ranching, and agriculture. Children are also forced to commit crimes such as robbery and drug production or are exploited through forced begging.

Bolivia is also a transit country for human trafficking, especially for migrants from Africa, Chile, and the Caribbean on their way to North America. These individuals are vulnerable to exploitation and may be forced into drug smuggling or sex work. The COVID-19 pandemic and the Venezuelan migration crisis have increased the number of refugees at risk of human trafficking, with poor indigenous people in rural areas being the most affected. Additionally, Bolivian women have been used as mules to transport cocaine to South East Asian markets.

The Bolivian government has implemented some measures to address human trafficking, including public awareness campaigns, the opening of shelters for female victims of violence, and the establishment of monitoring stations on the Chilean border. However, the government has been criticized for inadequate law enforcement efforts and a lack of protection for victims. There have been reports of complicity among law enforcement officials, with investigators stalling investigations and creating obstacles for prosecutors and judges. The government has also failed to sufficiently fund the anti-trafficking national action plan and provide adequate resources and training to law enforcement agencies.

To combat human trafficking effectively, the Bolivian government needs to increase its efforts in investigating, prosecuting, and convicting traffickers, including complicit officials. Additionally, improving border controls and addressing the root causes of trafficking, such as poverty and exploitation, are crucial steps in preventing this crime.

Drug trafficking

Bolivia's history with coca cultivation is long, and it is currently the third-largest coca bush grower in the world. The plant is grown by small farmers, mainly in the Chapare and Yungas regions. The Bolivian government has implemented policies to reduce coca cultivation, such as allowing farmers in Chapare to grow a limited amount of coca per year, with any excess being subject to elimination. This strategy relies on coca growers' federations to enforce the agreement, and non-compliance can result in stern penalties, including land seizures. As a result of these efforts, coca cultivation decreased by 12% between 2010 and 2011.

However, the economic benefits of coca production for small farmers are significant. The income generated from coca leaf production far surpasses that of other crops, and the plant is well-suited to the local environment, with a long shelf life and few issues with pests and blight. Additionally, the production process requires no imported petrochemicals or expensive institutional credit. As a result, coca leaf production has induced peasants to shift land away from growing food crops, leading to greater dependency on purchased food and increased food prices.

The illegal drug trade has also led to corruption within Bolivia's institutions, including the military, security services, and the judiciary. Drug traffickers have been known to bribe officials, and there have been instances of collusion between traffickers and government authorities. The trade has also resulted in violence, with the presence of armed criminal groups and the importation of Colombian-style drug-related violence.

Bolivia's strategic location and weak state control have made it a transit country for drug trafficking. Mexican and Colombian cartels operate within the country, and Brazilian gangs control the traffic into Brazil and shipments to Europe. The country's porous borders and weak institutions make it an attractive location for drug smugglers, and the production and trafficking of synthetic drugs is also an emerging issue.

Corruption

Government bureaucracy is viewed as inefficient and bloated, with hiring and promotion decisions driven by political interests rather than merit. The government has also been criticised for its lack of transparency in handling public financial data. Bolivia's complex tax laws and burdensome bureaucratic procedures further contribute to the corruption problem, as they provide opportunities for illegal "facilitation payments".

The police force, in particular, faces challenges with low wages, poor training, and political interference. The narcotics police and secret police have been implicated in cocaine trafficking since the late 1950s, and large-scale drug-related corruption in the police force dates back to the 1970s. Many police officers have ties to organised crime, and those with political connections are often appointed to senior positions.

The country's dependence on extractive industries, such as mining, oil, and gas, also creates conditions conducive to corruption. The government's control over both operation and regulation in this sector increases the risk of corruption. Scandals involving nepotism, kickbacks, and other forms of corruption have been associated with the state-owned oil and gas company, YPFB, resulting in the imprisonment of several individuals.

While Bolivia has made efforts to enhance transparency and combat corruption, such as the establishment of the Ministry of Anticorruption and Transparency in 2009, enforcement of anti-corruption laws remains weak. The country's performance in governance areas, including corruption, is below global and regional averages.

The normalisation of corruption in Bolivian society has led to a degree of tolerance towards government corruption. Additionally, widespread poverty and lack of education contribute to the persistence of corruption. Citizens' rights and anti-corruption laws are not well-known or understood by many Bolivians.

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