Bolivia Economy Minister addresses state-owned enterprise losses

Bolivian Economy Minister José Gabriel Espinoza stated that closing or liquidating state-owned enterprises is a complex process that cannot be achieved through a simple presidential order. He noted that the legal frameworks for these entities vary, as some were established by decree, others by law, and some are even enshrined in the Constitution.

Espinoza highlighted significant administrative disorder, noting that while 67 companies are recorded under specific budget codes, there are more than 85 state entities in total. An official report from the Technical Office for the Strengthening of State Enterprises revealed that accumulated losses across all state-owned companies exceed Bs 8,000 million.

While no state companies created during the 19-year MAS administration have been closed in the first five months of the current management, several have undergone oversight processes following the discovery of corruption, such as in EMAPA.