Bolivian fuel diversion and crackdown

An audit of Bolivia’s state-owned oil company, YPFB, initially revealed the diversion of approximately 22 million liters of fuel in a single month, with losses estimated between 200 and 400 million bolivianos. Minister of Productive Development Óscar Mario Justiniano identified nine critical vulnerabilities in the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) control systems, including “backdoors” that allowed unauthorized individuals to impersonate officials and delete sanctions.

Following an intervention by the ANH, authorities reported the seizure of 17 million liters of fuel—comprising 10 million liters of gasoline and 7 million liters of diesel—and the arrest of 31 individuals. As part of the crackdown, officials blocked 6,700 license plates and seized 24 vehicles. Minister of Hydrocarbons and Energies Marcelo Blanco noted that since the removal of diesel subsidies, illegal activities have shifted toward gasoline. To prevent further irregularities, the intervention commission has implemented regulatory changes to reduce administrative procedures from several months to 48 hours.