Bolivia implements tiered diesel pricing amid fuel shortages

diesel price hike Bolivia fuel shortage Decreto Supremo 5676 agricultural sector protest hydrocarbon regulation

The Bolivian government has implemented Decreto Supremo 5676, establishing a tiered diesel pricing system. Under this decree, large consumers will pay Bs 18 per liter, while transport workers and small consumers will maintain the subsidized rate of Bs 9.80 per liter.

The measure has sparked significant backlash from the agricultural and transport sectors. The Cámara Agropecuaria del Oriente (CAO) has rejected the decree, calling it discriminatory and warning that increased production costs could threaten the national food supply. The CAO has called for an extraordinary congress to coordinate defensive actions.

In the transport sector, leaders in La Paz and Potosí report that the fuel shortage persists, with long queues at service stations and reduced bus frequencies. Transport officials warn that the price differentiation may incentivize the black market and fuel smuggling.

Additionally, the Minister of Hydrocarbons, Marcelo Blanco, announced plans to close the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) to replace it with a new regulatory entity. Economists have warned that while the move may provide fiscal relief, it could also trigger inflation and exacerbate the existing fuel shortage caused by high import dependency.

Entities

Agencia Nacional de Hidrocarburos · Asociación de Agricultores de Quillota y Marga Marga · Bolivia · Bolivian government · Colún · Cámara Agropecuaria del Oriente · Government of Bolivia · INDAP · Klaus Frerking · Marcelo Blanco · YPFB · Yamil Nacif

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[○ 1 SOURCE] The refinery has the capacity to produce nearly 2 million liters per month in its current state.
[○ 1 SOURCE] The facility aims to reach a production capacity of 1 million liters per day within less than a year.
[● 2 SOURCES] The refinery will initially process 18,867 barrels of crude oil per month.
[● 2 SOURCES] Initial monthly production is estimated at 1.35 million liters of diesel and 900,000 liters of gasoline.
[● 2 SOURCES] Alere SRL signed an agreement with the Bolivian government to import crude oil for fuel production in Santa Cruz.
[○ 1 SOURCE] The Ministry of Hydrocarbons is willing to assist private companies with the necessary procedures to import fuel to Bolivia.
[● 2 SOURCES] YPFB committed to a gradual supply of gasoline followed by diesel.
[● 2 SOURCES] The Minister of Hydrocarbons apologized to the population for the long lines at service stations. bolpress.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Bolivia has maintained some of the lowest diesel and gasoline prices in the region since 2005.
[● 2 SOURCES] The government is holding up to three daily meetings with YPFB to monitor fuel distribution.
[○ 1 SOURCE] Fuel shortages in Bolivia are driven by declining national production, smuggling, and a lack of foreign currency.
[○ 1 SOURCE] Empacar Energy imports non-subsidized fuel for the industrial and transport sectors in Santa Cruz. noticiaslatam.lat