Bolivia, Venezuela foreign ministers talk to boost bilateral ties

Bolivia's Foreign Ministry announced that Bolivian Foreign Minister Héctor Huanca and his Venezuelan counterpart, Félix Plasencia, held a phone conversation aimed at bolstering bilateral relations between the two nations. The ministry shared the news via social media, noting that Plasencia congratulated Huanca on his recent appointment.

During their dialogue, both ministers expressed a mutual desire to move forward with a joint work agenda in the short term and to strengthen their bilateral relationship. Plasencia also extended his gratitude to Bolivia for the humanitarian assistance it provided to Venezuela following earthquakes that struck the country on June 24.

This diplomatic engagement occurs after a period of distancing between Bolivia and certain governments, including Venezuela. Following his election in October 2025, Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz had moved away from the governments of Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, leading to Bolivia's suspension from the ALBA bloc, which it had been part of during the administrations of Evo Morales and Luis Arce. At one point, after the arrest of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, Paz stated that Bolivia stood "with democracy" and that the solution for Venezuela lay in respecting the vote. In response, Bolivia's Foreign Ministry expressed support for the "Venezuelan people" and what it termed the beginning of a path toward "recovering their democracy," deeming a "real democratic transition" in Venezuela "unavoidable."

In late June, in the aftermath of a significant earthquake that impacted northern Venezuela, Bolivia dispatched twenty military rescuers to aid in search efforts and provided approximately six tons of humanitarian aid collected by the Venezuelan community within Bolivia.