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🇧🇴 Bolivia /Environment & Climate

Amid Fuel Supply Crisis, Diesel Price Falls as Bolivia Intervenes in Hydrocarbons Regulator

From El Deber · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Bolivia cut the reference price for imported diesel from 18 to 16.50 bolivianos per liter amid fuel shortages and protests against Supreme Decree 5676.
  • The government intervened in the National Hydrocarbons Agency, citing control failures and alleged corruption that hindered fuel distribution.
  • Authorities said 600 users outside state oil company YPFB had access to a system used to nominate tanker deliveries, while officials considered tougher penalties for fuel smuggling.

Bolivia has lowered the reference price of imported diesel and intervened in the country’s hydrocarbons regulator as fuel shortages and protests against Supreme Decree 5676 continue.

The price for large consumers fell from 18 to 16.50 bolivianos per liter, Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano said during talks with mobilized groups in Santa Cruz. The reduction came as several sectors protested the decree and the wider problems affecting fuel supplies.

The large consumers who had a price of 18 now have a price of 16.50. This was also officially communicated two days ago.

· Ernesto JustinianoThe defense minister announced the diesel price change during talks in Santa Cruz.

The government said the National Hydrocarbons Agency, known as the ANH, had become one of the points where corruption and administrative obstacles were disrupting distribution. Hydrocarbons Minister Marcelo Blanco said the government could not allow delays by officials to limit the number of importers or service stations able to sell fuel. The intervention commission includes several ministers and the deputy justice minister.

The national government has decided to intervene in the ANH, mainly because of the shortages that exist.

· Marcelo BlancoThe hydrocarbons minister explained the reason for the intervention.

Officials said the ANH’s control systems operated separately, making it possible for fuel to be diverted without the agency knowing whether a delivery had reached its destination. Justiniano gave the example of a station receiving 90,000 liters without the ANH directly confirming that the fuel had been delivered.

Blanco also said authorities found 600 users who did not belong to YPFB but had access to its nomination system for tanker dispatches. The Government Agency for Electronic Government and Information and Communication Technologies is working to repair the B-SISA system. Authorities also called for tougher penalties for fuel smuggling, saying offenders can currently avoid prison through abbreviated proceedings after pleading guilty. Deputy Justice Minister Yamil García said the hydrocarbons sector ranks first among institutions facing corruption complaints, with a new complaint received every day, although the provided text ends before the statement is completed.

If a fuel station was sent 90,000 liters, the ANH did not know directly whether they had been delivered.

· Ernesto JustinianoHe described the control failure identified during the intervention.
About this summary

Originally published by El Deber in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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