Bolivia signs $20 million anti-drug cooperation deal with US
Bolivia has entered into a new partnership with the United States aimed at strengthening efforts to combat drug trafficking, marking a significant shift in relations between the two countries.
According to Bolivia’s Foreign Ministry, the agreement includes up to $20 million (£15 million) in U.S. support for the training and equipping of Bolivian security forces to tackle drug smuggling and organised crime.
The development reflects improving ties between Washington and La Paz nearly two decades after former President Evo Morales expelled the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from Bolivia, one of the world’s largest producers of coca, the key ingredient used in cocaine production.
Under President Rodrigo Paz, Bolivia has aligned itself more closely with the United States by joining the Shield of the Americas, a regional security initiative led by Washington. The U.S. Embassy reportedly confirmed that the agreement will involve training, equipment, and other forms of assistance to Bolivian authorities.
Bolivia said the cooperation is intended to bolster institutions responsible for public security, criminal investigations, and the fight against organised crime. The agreement was signed in La Paz shortly after Ernesto Justiniano, formerly the country’s anti-drug chief, was appointed Defence Minister.
President Paz also participated in the inaugural Shield of the Americas summit in Florida in March, hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump. Member countries of the alliance have recently voiced support for Paz’s administration amid anti-government protests and road blockades in Bolivia.
While the coalition has expressed concern over political unrest, its primary objective remains the fight against narcotics-related crime. As part of that effort, the United States has intensified operations targeting vessels suspected of drug trafficking in the Caribbean and Pacific regions.
U.S. military actions against alleged drug-smuggling boats have drawn scrutiny from some legal experts, who question whether such operations comply with international law. In the latest reported incident, U.S. Southern Command said one person was killed and two others survived after a vessel suspected of involvement in narcotics trafficking was struck, although no public evidence was released to support the claim.
Source: BBC
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