INE reports $638 mn trade surplus

According to the latest report from the National Statistics Institute (INE), as of May 2021, the country recorded a trade surplus of $638 million. It is attributable to the increase in the prices of the primary exported goods and a 23% increase in volum

Government creates $11.9 mn fund and avoids Aasana stoppage

The Government and the Administration of Airports and Auxiliary Services to Air Navigation (Aasana) reached an agreement whereby the Government will allocate 83.8 million bolivianos ($11.9 mn) for the payment of seven months of outstanding salaries. The workers had announced a strike affecting operations at 42 air terminals in the country.

CAF issues first $183 million Nutrition Bond for Latin America

Together with Daiwa Securities Group, CAF (development bank of Latin America) made its first thematic placement of bonds aimed explicitly at financing nutrition programs. The securities, totalling 20 billion yen (approximately $183 million), have a term of 7 years.

Agro-environmental Court annuls judgment on a $61.6 million payment from Petrobras Bolivia

The First Chamber of the Agro-environmental Court annulled the sentence against Petrobras Bolivia, which ordered Petrobras Bolivia and its partners to pay $61.1 million to a family for the land where the San Alberto camp located. Source: El Deber

YPFB invests $37.2 million to increase its shares to almost 20% in Brazil’s TGB pipeline

YPFB Transporte S.A., through its subsidiary YPFB Transporte do Brasil, increased its shareholding in Transportadora Brasileira Gasoducto Bolivia-Brasil S.A. (TBG) from 12% to 19.88% with an investment of $37.2 million.

IMF projects 5% growth for Bolivia if vaccination is accelerated

The IMF projects 5% growth for Bolivia if vaccination is accelerated. In its latest report, International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects economic growth of 5% for the country, as long as the country accelerates the vaccination of the adult population and preserves financial stability, reduces the fiscal deficit. The organization also recommended adjusting the economic model with measures to make the exchange rate more flexible and remove export restrictions.

331 kilos of gold seized from an Indian company went missing

Three hundred and thirty-one kilos of gold seized from the Indian importer GoldShine disappeared from the warehouses of that firm, which paradoxically had them in custody. The mineral is valued at $18 million, estimating that the State loses approximately Bs 9 million in royalties ($1.29 mn).

Bolivia registers a $1.05 bn drop in Foreign Investment

According to a report of the Central Bank of Bolivia (BCB), at the end of 2020, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) fell $217 million in 2019, and in 2020 the fall was $831 million, reaching an accumulated negative behaviour of $1.05 billion in the two years mentioned.

Argentina grants $ 200 million to acquire gas from Bolivia

The Government of Argentina granted guarantees from the National Treasury for $200 million for public credit

Illegal entry of corn, sugar and meat causes millions of dollars in damages

The Chamber of Industry, Commerce and Services (Cainco) reports that the country loses $35 million annually through meat smuggling, $70 million through illegal sugar trade and $61 million through the illicit import of wheat flour. To these must be added the 408 million Bolivianos ($58 million) reported as damaged by the Corn and Sorghum Producers Association (Promasor) due to grain smuggling into the country.