Bolivia funds agriculture, declares tourism emergency amid blockade fallout

The Bolivian government officially recognized agriculture as the new central axis of the national economy and agreed to present financing proposals to reactivate production. In a meeting in Cochabamba with the National Agricultural Confederation (Confeagro), the Ministry of Productive Development and the Ministry of Economy outlined a roadmap to recover output disrupted by more than 50 days of blockades. CAO president Klaus Frerking listed five priorities: a reactivation fund, an anti‑blockade law, timely diesel supply, stronger legal security for producers, and a voluntary conversion scheme for small to medium farms to improve financing access. Economy Minister José Gabriel Espinoza pledged a permanent dialogue table and financing measures to support small, medium and large producers.

Simultaneously, the tourism sector declared a state of emergency, warning of losses up to 6.2 billion bolivianos and the risk of losing up to 60,000 jobs. ABATUR spokesperson Pamela Troche reported near‑full cancellation of bookings in destinations such as Tiwanaku, Copacabana, Coroico, Caranavi and Rurrenabaque, with hotel occupancy in La Paz falling to 13% during peak season. Representative Verónica Zambrana estimated cumulative losses could reach 6.2 billion bolivianos by year‑end. The sector is demanding tax deferrals, credit restructuring, preferential utility rates, protection of tourist corridors, access to foreign currency, open‑sky policies and resources to restore Bolivia’s international image. Tourism accounts for 4.9% of GDP and employs more than 387,000 people.