Bolivia's La Paz grapples with idle state plants and new 17 bn‑boliviano road plan

The Governor of La Paz, José Luis Vedregal, said several state‑funded processing plants—such as a potato‑chip factory, a trout‑processing unit on Lake Titicaca, and a citrus plant in Caranavi—remain non‑operational. He attributed the failures to poor planning, inadequate infrastructure, and a centralist development model, describing the projects as “white elephants.”

President Rodrigo Paz announced a 17 000 million‑boliviano investment for La Paz’s road network, with 1 000 million earmarked for 2026. The program targets key corridors—including Escoma‑Charazani, Unduavi‑Chulumani, and Santa Bárbara‑Caranavi—plus bridges at Sacambaya, Mapiri, Río Seco and Guanay. Complementary water‑supply works will serve over one million residents, and a food‑security scheme will aid the department.