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61 clusters · 120 sources · 117 days · First seen · Last updated

Bolivia fuel crisis: State intervention, corruption, and way

Overview

The fuel crisis in Bolivia has escalated into widespread social unrest and significant logistical disruptions. To address systemic failures, fuel smuggling, and administrative inefficiencies, President Rodrigo Paz has ordered a 180-day temporary intervention of the state-owned oil company, YPFB, via Supreme Decree 5697. Additionally, Supreme Decree 5699 intervened the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH), appointing Jorge Luis Gumucio as interim executive director to improve transparency. The government plans a strategic shift to transform YPFB from a commercial entity back into a producer and refiner, gradually transferring fuel import, distribution, and sales to the private sector.

Recent investigations by the ANH and civic leaders have uncovered massive systemic corruption and fuel diversion. Authorities have identified illegal resale operations, modified tankers with hidden compartments, and vehicles equipped with double tanks to smuggle fuel. In Santa Cruz, officials seized 2,500 liters of fuel during a siphoning operation, while a discrepancy of approximately 37,000 liters of diesel is under investigation in La Paz. Agustín Zambrana, Vice President of the Comité pro Santa Cruz, has alleged that over 22 million liters of fuel have been diverted, suggesting corruption extends to the control systems of YPFB and the ANH.

In response to the instability, which includes road blockades that caused at least 16 deaths, the government has moved to extend the current State of Exception for an additional 90 days. While Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano and other officials argue the extension is necessary to maintain security amidst fuel shortages and US dollar scarcity, opposition lawmakers and the Ombudsman, Pedro Callisaya, have urged the government to address underlying economic demands rather than relying on emergency measures.

Entities

Bolivia · YPFB · Rodrigo Paz · Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos · Rodrigo Paz Pereira

Claims

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

Coverage disagrees

Sources make claims that cannot both be true. CLSTR reports the disagreement; it does not decide who is right.

Timeline

  1. about 9 hours ago

    [POLITICS] 6 sources
    Catamarca and Salta receive $7,000 million in National Treasury Contributions

    Argentina has distributed $7,000 million each to Catamarca and Salta via National Treasury Contributions amid key legislative negotiations in Congress.

  2. about 21 hours ago

    [POLITICS] 7 sources
    Bolivia government seeks to extend state of exception

    The Bolivian government is seeking to extend its state of exception for 90 days to combat social unrest, fuel shortages, and economic instability, amid political debate in the Legislative Assembly.

  3. 3 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 4 sources
    Bolivia fuel crisis: Authorities report massive diversion and systemic corruption

    Bolivian authorities and civic leaders report massive fuel diversion, with allegations of 22 million liters stolen through systemic corruption involving YPFB and the ANH.

  4. 3 days ago

    [POLITICS] 8 sources
    Bolivia government seeks to extend State of Exception for 90 days

    The Bolivian government intends to extend the current State of Exception for 90 days, citing citizen consensus, despite calls from the Ombudsman to address underlying social demands first.

  5. 8 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 15 sources
    Bolivia implements new measures to combat fuel shortages

    Bolivia is addressing fuel shortages through new decrees allowing crude oil imports, private sector involvement in Santa Cruz, and diesel shipments from Brazil to the Beni region.

  6. 11 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 3 sources
    Bolivia intervenes in YPFB and ANH to address fuel shortages

    Bolivia is intervening in state oil company YPFB and the ANH to address fuel shortages, combat smuggling, and restore the nation's hydrocarbon production and refining capabilities.

  7. 12 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 3 sources
    Diesel shortages in Tarija threaten to raise beef prices

    Diesel shortages in Tarija, Bolivia, are disrupting livestock logistics, leading to warnings from producers that beef prices may rise due to increased transportation and supply chain costs.

  8. 13 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 5 sources
    CAO criticizes Bolivia diesel quota increase as insufficient

    The CAO criticizes Bolivia's diesel quota increase as a temporary fix, demanding structural reforms and transparency at YPFB to resolve ongoing fuel shortages and corruption.

  9. 13 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 19 sources
    Bolivia intervenes state oil company YPFB amid fuel crisis

    Bolivia has intervened state oil company YPFB and the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) to address fuel shortages and administrative failures, while planning to shift fuel commercialization to the privateer.

  10. 14 days ago

    [POLITICS] 9 sources
    Bolivia considers extending state of exception amid subsidy debates

    Bolivia's Defense Minister supports extending the state of exception to maintain order, while the government faces social opposition and pressure to eliminate fuel subsidies to stabilize national finances.

  11. 16 days ago

    [POLITICS] 10 sources
    Bolivia reports trade surplus amid political and economic challenges

    Bolivia reports a $176 million trade surplus in July 2026, but President Rodrigo Paz faces political instability, an IMF agreement debate, and a scandal involving consultant Fernando Cerimedo.

  12. 18 days ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Bolivian producers block Santa Cruz-Beni route over diesel decree

    Bolivian agricultural producers are maintaining road blockades between Santa Cruz and Beni, demanding the repeal of Supreme Decree 5676 to protest rising diesel costs.

  13. 18 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 7 sources
    Bolivia faces choice between fuel subsidies and hydrocarbon investment

    President Rodrigo Paz of Bolivia proposes a choice between subsidizing imported fuel or investing in hydrocarbon exploration to secure the country's long-term energy future.

  14. 20 days ago

    [POLITICS] 26 sources
    Bolivia faces unrest over diesel price hike

    Bolivia faces widespread protests and road blockades following Supreme Decree 5676, which raises diesel prices for large consumers to 18 bolivianos per liter, a move the government links to IMF conditions.

  15. 23 days ago

    [POLITICS] 7 sources
    Bolivia diesel shortage draws criticism from Catholic Church

    Catholic Bishop Stanisław Dowlaszewicz has criticized the Bolivian government over a persistent diesel shortage that is impacting agriculture, transportation, and the national economy.

  16. 24 days ago

    [POLITICS] 16 sources
    Bolivia faces unrest over diesel price hikes and fuel shortages

    Bolivia faces rising unrest and agricultural risks following Supreme Decree 5676, which increased diesel prices for large consumers, prompting threats of nationwide protests and military deployment.

  17. 26 days ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 8 sources
    Bolivia tanker drivers announce national strike over YPFB debts

    Bolivian tanker drivers will launch a national strike on August 24, protesting unpaid debts from YPFB and demanding better freight prices amid ongoing diesel shortages.

  18. 26 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 9 sources
    Bolivian producers protest diesel price hike under Decree 5676

    Bolivian agricultural and mining sectors are protesting Supreme Decree 5676, which raises diesel prices for large consumers to Bs 18, amid reports of fuel shortages and black market spikes.

  19. 28 days ago

    [BUSINESS] 10 sources
    Bolivia implements diesel price hike for large consumers via Decree 5676

    Bolivia's Supreme Decree 5676 raises diesel prices to Bs 18 for large consumers to reduce fiscal costs, sparking warnings from agricultural, construction, and transport sectors about rising food prices and fuel

  20. about 1 month ago

    [POLITICS] 5 sources
    Bolivian Chamber of Deputies approves investigation into fuel quality scandal

    Bolivia's Chamber of Deputies approved an investigation report into low-quality fuel that damaged vehicles, implicating former officials and calling for legal action by the Prosecutor's Office.

  21. about 1 month ago

    [BUSINESS] 6 sources
    Bolivia faces severe fuel shortage and supply crisis

    Bolivia faces a critical fuel shortage causing long queues and threatening food security. President Rodrigo Paz admitted the crisis is more severe than expected, while Santa Cruz seeks private import solutions.

  22. about 1 month ago

    [BUSINESS] 6 sources
    YPFB legal director placed under house arrest in fuel scandal

    Former YPFB legal director Daniela Durán has been placed under house arrest as Bolivia investigates a fuel quality scandal involving low-grade gasoline and corrupt import practices.

  23. about 1 month ago

    [INTERNATIONAL] 12 sources
    Bolivia fuel crisis: shortages and debt threaten supply stability

    Bolivia faces ongoing fuel shortages and long queues due to a $700 million debt with suppliers and low foreign reserves. Experts suggest the crisis may last until year-end without IMF intervention.

  24. about 1 month ago

    [BUSINESS] 10 sources
    Bolivia's YPFB faces diesel distribution delays as transport sector reports long queues

    Bolivia’s transport sector reports hours‑long diesel queues and weeks‑long cistern delays, while YPFB says stocks are ample but distribution flaws cause the bottlenecks.

  25. about 2 months ago

    [POLITICS] 11 sources
    Bolivia detains ex‑minister Mauricio Medinaceli over ‘gasoline basura’ scandal

    Bolivia arrests ex‑minister Mauricio Medinaceli for authorising defective gasoline, damaging thousands of vehicles; prosecutors cite 88 indicia, Daniela Durán also arrested, and legislators demand wider probes.

  26. about 2 months ago

    [POLITICS] 3 sources
    Bolivia's YPFB gasoline scandal triggers arrests and office raids

    Bolivia arrests former YPFB legal director and ex‑hydrocarbons minister amid raids on YPFB offices over a destabilized gasoline scandal that harmed vehicle engines.

  27. about 2 months ago

    [POLITICS] 4 sources
    Bolivia transport drivers plan protests after diesel shortage, pending end of state of emergency

    Bolivia’s heavy‑transport union will wait for the state of emergency to end before calling a national meeting to plan protests over diesel shortages and demand road‑fund reforms.

  28. about 2 months ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Bolivia investigation finds ministerial approval allowed distribution of unstabilized gasoline

    Bolivia's parliamentary commission found a ministerial resolution let unstabilized gasoline be released from five tanks, flagging sloppy quality checks and implicating former officials, and it called for audits

  29. about 2 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 5 sources
    Bolivia and Dominican Republic grapple with soaring transport costs and fuel shortages

    Bolivia faces diesel shortages and costly imports while the Dominican Republic sees fare hikes that force low‑income commuters into debt and cut food budgets.

  30. about 2 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 4 sources
    Bolivia endures diesel shortages and long fuel queues as YPFB reforms

    Bolivia faces prolonged gasoline queues and diesel shortages as YPFB pledges operational reforms, affecting transport, pharma supplies and the national economy.

  31. about 2 months ago

    [POLITICS] 4 sources
    Bolivia's fuel scandal leads to detention of former YPFB executive

    Bolivia’s “gasolina basura” scandal sees former YPFB exec Carlos Cuéllar charged and a six‑month preventive detention requested, after the minister said the president was misinformed.

  32. about 2 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Bolivia faces acute gas supply shortfall amid subsidies and reduced deliveries

    Bolivia’s gas output has dropped 55%, with the state subsidising 79% of prices. YPFB is delivering only half the fuel needed in Santa Cruz, causing long queues and raising fears of costly imports.

  33. 2 months ago

    [POLITICS] 3 sources
    Bolivia's fuel shortage deepens economic strain and fuels long queues

    Bolivia's fuel shortage is aggravating inflation and production while officials blame certification delays, not lack of supply, and promise to clear queues by week’s end.

  34. 2 months ago

    [POLITICS] 5 sources
    Bolivia freezes fuel prices for a year and plans gradual supply normalization

    Bolivia will freeze fuel prices for a year, linking future pricing to global oil and exchange rates, while YPFB prepares a gradual supply normalization starting Tuesday.

  35. 2 months ago

    [POLITICS] 5 sources
    Fuel smuggling drives fuel shortages in Bolivia and Mexico

    Bolivia attributes fuel queues to smuggling and hoarding, calling for stricter controls, while Mexico sees a rise in illegal fuel imports after customs militarization, prompting investigations of senior troops.

  36. 2 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 10 sources
    Petrobras to resume exploration in Bolivia, aid YPFB restructuring

    Bolivia and Petrobras will form technical groups to resume oil exploration and help restructure YPFB, with no investment details disclosed.

  37. 2 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 3 sources
    Bolivia faces worsening fuel shortages amid foreign exchange shortage

    Bolivia's fuel queues stem from foreign‑exchange shortages and smuggling, prompting the government to allow private imports and tighten controls amid a nationwide shortage.

  38. 2 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Bolivia strengthens fuel controls amid gasoline-plus distribution complaints

    Bolivian authorities in Oruro and Potosí are cracking down on irregular fuel distribution, with drivers protesting low‑grade gasoline‑plus sales and YPFB‑ANH inspections targeting repeat fuel‑loading vehicles.

  39. 3 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 4 sources
    Bolivia cracks down on illegal fuel resale amid false 'gasolinazo' claims

    Bolivia’s ANH is investigating illegal fuel resale in Potosí with prices up to Bs 30/L, while a fact‑check shows former president Evo Morales’s “gasolinazo” claim was based on privately imported fuels, not anew

  40. 3 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 3 sources
    Bolivia's YPFB Restarts Railway Fuel Transport, Delivering Over 1 Million Liters of Gasoline

    Bolivia's state oil firm YPFB resumed railway imports of gasoline, delivering over 1 million litres to Santa Cruz and planning additional trains, boosting supply and cutting logistics costs.

  41. 3 months ago

    [CRIME] 3 sources
    Bolivia's ANH disables 300 vehicles over fuel-loading violations

    Bolivia's ANH temporarily disabled over 300 vehicles for repeated fuel‑loading violations and seized 2,000 L of gasoline near Sucre, arresting a suspect who offered a bribe.

  42. 3 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 3 sources
    YPFB expects fuel distribution to normalize by Tuesday after blockade lifts

    YPFB says fuel distribution in Bolivia will normalize by Tuesday after the Yapacaní blockade ends, aided by double shifts and new quality‑control procedures.

  43. 3 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Bolivia transport head blames fuel shortages on import debt

    Bolivia’s heavy‑transport chief says fuel shortages stem from limited imports and unpaid debts, not quality checks, urging a structural fix as the government pledges gradual normalisation.

  44. 3 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 4 sources
    Bolivia's YPFB moves to normalize diesel supply after 50‑day blockades

    Bolivia's YPFB is ramping up fuel deliveries after 50‑day blockades, performing quality checks on trapped cisterns and dispatching millions of litres, but diesel shortages and long queues persist for transport.

  45. 3 months ago

    [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Hospitals in Oaxaca, Mexico and La Paz, Bolivia face critical supply shortages

    Hospitals in Oaxaca, Mexico and La Paz, Bolivia report equipment and oxygen shortages, stressing patient care and urging supply restoration.

  46. 3 months ago

    [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Bolivia's Tarija Hospital San Juan de Dios to be inspected by national government

    Bolivia’s national government and Tarija officials will inspect the San Juan de Dios Hospital, addressing critical infrastructure issues and broader reconstruction plans.

  47. 3 months ago

    [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Tarija Hospital Regional San Juan de Dios faces severe care failures

    A public hospital in Tarija, Bolivia, faces severe deficiencies, prompting criticism over patient deaths, equipment failures, staff shortages, and forced private care.

  48. 3 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 9 sources
    Bolivia's YPFB receives over 6 million liters of gasoline amid fuel shortage and $500 million debt

    Bolivia received over 6 million L of gasoline at YPFB’s Senkata plant for distribution after quality checks, while the government acknowledges a $500 M fuel debt and prosecutes YPFB officials over a bad‑gasolin

  49. 3 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 2 sources
    Bolivia's airports face delays as blockades limit jet fuel

    Bolivia's jet‑fuel shortage from road blockades forces airlines to carry extra fuel and cargo, increasing aircraft weight and causing widespread airport delays.

  50. 3 months ago

    [BUSINESS] 5 sources
    Bolivia fuel shortages trigger long queues and transport disruptions

    Bolivia’s fuel crisis has led to overnight queues in La Paz, transport blockades, GLP shortages in Oruro and reduced bus services in Tarija, prompting demands for government action.

  51. 3 months ago

    [HEALTH] 3 sources
    Bolivia tackles hospital equipment gaps and oxygen shortages

    Bolivia's health authorities report equipment shortfalls in Oruro hospitals and have dispatched large oxygen supplies to La Paz facilities to prevent shortages.

  52. 3 months ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Bolivia police seize over 1.5 million bolivianos being moved in municipal ambulance

    Bolivia police seized over 1.5 million bolivianos being moved in a municipal ambulance; the mayor says the cash was for salaries of 600 workers, sparking investigation amid nationwide road blockades.

  53. 3 months ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Bolivian government lifts fuel blockades and begins GNV cylinder rollout for transport

    Bolivian minister reports residents expelled fuel blockades, enabling 70 tankers to deliver 1.7 million litres to La Paz, while the government distributes 1,500 GNV cylinders to public transport as part of a 12

  54. 3 months ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    La Paz blockades trigger fuel, food shortages and 90‑day health emergency

    Road blockades in La Paz have caused fuel, food and medical shortages, prompting a 90‑day health emergency and military deployment, while travel advisories warn against non‑essential trips.

  55. 3 months ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Bolivia fuel blockades prompt LPG shortages and long queues

    Bolivian blockades have disrupted fuel supplies, prompting long LPG queues in Potosí while the president reports over 1 million litres of gasoline and 40 000 LPG cylinders reaching La Paz and El Alto.

  56. 3 months ago

    [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Bolivia's La Paz and El Alto hospitals receive oxygen shipments via humanitarian corridor

    Oxygen cisterns arrived in La Paz and El Alto, giving hospitals a four‑day supply for neonatal and ICU care after Governor Luis Revilla secured a humanitarian corridor.

  57. 3 months ago

    [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Bolivia's road blockades hinder delivery of medicines and medical oxygen

    Bolivia's road blockades are preventing the transport of medicines and medical oxygen, prompting health officials and the Defensoría del Pueblo to warn of severe impacts on vulnerable populations.

  58. 3 months ago

    [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Bolivia's La Paz Declares 90-Day Health and Humanitarian Emergency

    Bolivia's La Paz department has declared a 90‑day health and humanitarian emergency amid blockades that have caused severe oxygen, medicine, food and fuel shortages, prioritising supply routes and direct buying

  59. 4 months ago

    [HEALTH] 2 sources
    La Paz health services face critical blood and oxygen shortages amid blockades

    Bolivia's Ministry of Health urges La Paz residents to donate blood as blockades and fuel shortages leave hospitals with only 123 blood units and 72‑hour oxygen supplies, causing four deaths.

  60. 4 months ago

    [POLITICS] 2 sources
    Jaguar Shiva’s emergency transfer halted by Bolivia road blockades

    Bolivia’s road blockades stopped the planned transfer of injured jaguar Shiva to a La Paz veterinary centre, threatening its life and the care of over 1,200 rescued animals.

  61. 4 months ago

    [HEALTH] 3 sources
    Bolivian child dies as road blockades halt ambulance transfer

    A 9‑12‑year‑old boy died after an ambulance from Llallagua to Potosí was stopped by road blockades, prompting Bolivia’s health ministry to call for a humanitarian corridor for emergencies.

Sources

360radio.com.co · abyayala.tv.bo · actualidad.rt.com · actualidadagropecuaria.com.uy · adnsureste.info · agcnews.eu · agrosinergia.com.bo · ahoradigital.net · alertabolivia.net · almanar.com.lb · almanartv.com.lb · archive.in.gr · asuntoscentrales.com · atgs.ch · bairesparatodos.com.ar · berita.rtm.gov.my · bobine.tv · bolivia.com · boliviaprensa.com · boliviaverifica.bo · bolpress.com · bolpress.de · brujuladigital.net · cabildeodigital.com · canaln.pe · capital.es · caraotadigital.net · caretas.pe · chacodiapordia.com · chalkbeat.org · chillanonline.cl · cronicadecantabria.com · desdeabajo.info · diariocorreo.pe · diarioeltigrense.com · diarioextra.com · diariofirmat.com.ar · diariopanorama.com · diariosanrafael.com.ar · economiasustentable.com · eju.tv · ekriti.gr · el-carabobeno.com · elaltoesnoticia.com · elbuentono.com.mx · elbuho.pe · eldia.com · eldiariodehoy.com

This summary has been updated 35 times: see revision history