Bolivia's Libre Party Pushes Tax Relief for La Paz After Blockades

Legislators of the opposition Libre alliance in Bolivia have drafted a package to compensate the department of La Paz for more than 48 days of road blockades. The proposal seeks to redirect part of a $118 million international credit, originally earmarked for the Chapare region, to fund tax waivers and fiscal incentives for businesses and citizens in La Paz and El Alto. It includes the cancellation of various national and local taxes, the elimination of customs duties and import tariffs until the end of the year, and the re‑programming of bank debt payments for the local trade sector.

Additional measures call for the toll revenue from the La Paz‑El Alto highway to be shared between the two cities, and the construction of an oxygen‑production plant in La Paz to reduce reliance on external supplies. The legislators argue the package will prevent bankruptcies, stem migration, and revive the local economy after the prolonged blockades.