Russia-Bolivia Alliance: Understanding Bolivia's Support For Putin

Bolivia has supported Russia in the United Nations and other international platforms, with the countries sharing an interest in creating a multipolar world and a just world order. Bolivia has also supported Russia's resistance to foreign interference. Bolivia's support for Russia has been attributed to the countries' shared interests in the defence, gas, and nuclear energy sectors, with investments worth over $1.5 billion agreed upon during the final years of former President Evo Morales' term. Bolivia's current president, Luis Arce, has continued to strengthen relations with Russia, with the countries signing a series of bilateral agreements to deepen their strategic partnership and cooperation, particularly in the energy sector.

Bolivia's support for Russia at the UN

Bolivia has demonstrated its support for Russia at the United Nations (UN) by abstaining from condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine at the UN General Assembly. Bolivia's Ambassador to the UN, Diego Pary, justified the country's abstention by arguing that Western powers, through NATO, put the security and peace of other states at risk. Pary claimed that "intermediary states" like Ukraine favoured the "expansionist ambitions" of Western powers, threatening the security of their neighbours.

Bolivia's stance at the UN aligns with its broader diplomatic and economic relations with Russia. Bolivia has an embassy in Moscow, and Russia has an embassy in La Paz. Bolivia's focus in its relations with Russia is primarily economic, particularly in the defence, gas, and nuclear energy sectors. Russian companies like Gazprom and Rosatom have significant investments in Bolivia, with agreements totalling over $1.5 billion.

The two countries have also collaborated in the military sphere, with Bolivia announcing plans in 2009 to construct a technical support and repair facility for Russian aircraft. Additionally, Bolivia has expressed interest in purchasing arms and transportation equipment from Russia to combat drug smuggling and production within its borders.

Bolivia's interest in Russian nuclear energy

Rosatom's involvement in Bolivia extends beyond lithium extraction. The corporation is constructing the Center for Research and Development in Nuclear Technology in El Alto, La Paz, with an investment of $300 million. This facility, known as the Bolivian Nuclear Research and Technology Center (NRTC), will include a 200 kW pool-type pressurized water research reactor with a 50-year service life. The reactor will produce radioisotopes for research in agriculture, the environment, and hydrogeology. Additionally, it will enable the training of students in nuclear-related fields.

The NRTC also includes a cyclotron unit, which will produce radiopharmaceuticals for clinical studies, and a multipurpose irradiation facility for improving food safety and shelf life. The project is expected to benefit Bolivian citizens and enhance Bolivia's position in the Latin American context.

Bolivia's engagement with Rosatom in the nuclear energy sector is part of a broader relationship between the two countries. Russia has expressed its willingness to cooperate with Bolivia in various sectors, including defense, gas, and nuclear energy, with investments worth over $1.5 billion. This cooperation aligns with Bolivia's pursuit of nuclear ambitions and its interest in developing its natural resources.

Bolivia's stance on a multipolar world

Bolivia's support for a multipolar world is likely influenced by its desire to maintain and expand its economic relations with Russia. Bolivia has investments from Russia worth over $1.5 billion in its defense, gas, and nuclear energy sectors. Additionally, Russian companies are seeking to extract Bolivia's lithium reserves, which are crucial for the transition to renewable energy. Bolivia also sources military equipment from Russia, including helicopters.

In summary, Bolivia's stance on a multipolar world is informed by its economic interests, domestic political situation, and desire to maintain its sovereignty and independence in international relations. Bolivia's support for a multipolar world and its relations with Russia have become increasingly complex due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine and the resulting sanctions on Russia.

Bolivia's economic and social ties with Russia

Bolivia and Russia have a history of diplomatic relations, which were established on April 18, 1945, between the former and the Soviet Union. Today, both countries have embassies in each other's capitals. Bolivia's focus on relations with Russia is primarily economic, with a particular emphasis on natural gas and lithium.

Economic Ties

In September 2008, Gazprom, a Russian state-controlled energy company, signed an agreement worth $4.5 billion to explore for gas in Bolivia. The following December, Russia invested $4 million in a study on Bolivia's gas industry, with the aim of establishing a joint Russian-Bolivian centre for gas exploration. In 2016, Russia's Rosatom began constructing a nuclear plant in Bolivia. In 2023, Bolivia and Russia's Uranium One Group, a subsidiary of Rosatom, agreed to build a semi-industrial direct lithium extraction (DLE) plant in Colcha, Potosi. The $450 million project is expected to produce 14,000 tons of lithium carbonate per year. This is the second collaboration between Bolivia and the Russian Uranium One Group, following a project to build a lithium carbonate industrial complex in Pastos Grandes, Potosi, with an expected output of 25,000 tons per year.

Social Ties

Russia has also shown interest in other sectors in Bolivia, such as healthcare, where Russian pharmaceutical companies have entered the market, and agriculture, where Russia has supported Bolivia in modernising its farming practices. Educational and cultural exchanges are also fostering ties, with Russian universities offering scholarships to Bolivian students.

Bolivia's lithium reserves and their handling

Bolivia is home to the world's largest lithium deposits, constituting 60% of global reserves. The country views its lithium reserves as a transformative opportunity for industrialization and modernization. In July 2023, Bolivia's lithium resources were estimated at 23 million metric tons, further cementing its position as the global leader.

The country's reserves are primarily located in the "'lithium triangle'" between Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile. The current extraction methods for lithium require substantial amounts of water, which could cause stress on Bolivia's water supply, given its history of social instability due to water scarcity.

Bolivia has previously sought investments from Russian and Chinese firms to develop its lithium resources, which remain largely untapped. In the first half of 2023, it signed three lithium deals with two Chinese and one Russian firm, pledging a total investment of $2.8 billion to industrialize its resources. The Russian firm, Moscow-based Uranium One Group, would extract Bolivia's lithium reserves through the state-owned energy and mining giant Rosatom.

However, there are concerns about the potential environmental and geopolitical repercussions of Russia handling Bolivia's lithium extraction. Russia has lower environmental standards and regulations for its companies, and its involvement in energy resources has often led to environmental incidents. Additionally, Russia has a history of using energy and mining assets to assert its geopolitical dominance, including cutting energy supplies to exert pressure on non-compliant states.

Bolivia's partnership with Russia and China in the lithium sector has sparked concerns in the United States, with U.S. officials worried about the potential reinforcement of an extractive model with limited local development.

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