The Organization of American States in Bolivia

Bolivia’s Demand for Maritime Access Depends on the OAS

Today in Tiquipaya the 42nd General Assembly of the Organization of American States begins. Thirty-three years after the continental organization held its first session in Bolivia, the Bolivian demand for sovereign access to the sea remains on the agenda, as well as another concern for the country: security and food sovereignty.

In 1979 the General Assembly of the OAS approved Resolution 426 in support of Bolivia’s demand for maritime reintegration with the Pacific Ocean, declaring it of permanent hemispheric interest. In all, the organization has made 11 pronouncements on the Bolivian maritime cause, and in each assembly Bolivian representatives have reported on the status of their claim with Chile. This year will be no exception.

A few days ago Chile’s minister of foreign affairs claimed as a victory the fact that the General Assembly has not passed a new resolution on the matter. But in reality, according to the Bolivian minister of foreign affairs, there was no reason to expect such a new resolution, since “there could not be a more complete and fair resolution,” than the one passed in 1979. In any case, the matter is on the agenda for Tuesday, June 5.

The second theme of interest for Bolivia and the main topic of the assembly — food security and sovereignty — was proposed a few months ago by the Bolivian delegation to the OAS in Washington, where it was very favorably received, as was reflected in the findings of the Model General Assembly held last week.

The Bolivian proposal on food sovereignty is based on three principals that some countries — mainly the U.S. — find controversial: the non-privatization of water rights, the nationalization of fallow land and the prevention of concentrated ownership of this land by a few people. According to the Bolivian ambassador to the OAS, the topic has been widely discussed, and it is expected that a consensus will be reached during the Tiquipaya session.

In another matter, leaders of indigenous and other groups opposed to the construction of the highway from San Ignacio to Villa Tunari have obtained a hearing with the secretary general of the OAS, a decision that was deemed “an affront” to Bolivia and an attempt to insert domestic politics into a multinational forum; nevertheless this decision was quite predictable.

It is also foreseeable that the General Assembly will meet the high hopes of its organizers, though there will no doubt be enormous political risks during the three days when it is in session. The fate of the maritime claim and the food sovereignty proposal will be in the hands of its participants.