Bolivia deports Argentine legislators and human‑rights delegates

The Bolivian government led by President Rodrigo Paz Pereira barred and expelled a group of Argentine legislators and human‑rights activists who arrived at El Alto airport as part of a self‑styled humanitarian mission to investigate alleged rights violations in Bolivia. Migration officials seized the delegation’s passports, kept them at the airport for several hours and forced them onto a flight to Santa Cruz before returning them to Argentina.

Bolivian officials said the group failed to meet entry requirements and that their stated activities were inconsistent with Bolivian law. Bolivian politicians, including Senator Rolando Vacaflor, praised the decision, calling it “an accurate decision that prevented interference in Bolivia.” Argentine representatives and the mission’s members described the treatment as a “kidnapping” and a breach of diplomatic immunity, condemning the action as dictatorial. Argentina’s foreign ministry and consular services responded by seeking assistance for the deported officials. The mission had been organized at the request of Bolivian legislators and unions to document reports of police repression, arbitrary detentions and killings during recent protests.