00:00Now to Bolivia. The National Institute of Statistics revealed that the country's economy
00:05registered a decline of 2.4% in the first half of this year, a phenomenon attributed to political
00:11struggles. Our correspondent, Freddy Morales, gives us the details.
00:15This country experienced economic decline during the pandemic, a phenomenon that
00:21occurred in the first half of this year.
00:23In the first half of 2025, Bolivia registered a negative growth rate of 2.40%, as a result
00:38of the unfavorable political situation and the excessive blockades we had in the country
00:42in March, May, and June 2025.
00:44The report from the Institute of Statistics warned, however, that the decline began to
00:55reverse after the reduction of pressure from the political opposition in an election year.
01:02We are aware that the figure for the first half of the year is complex, a fall of 2.4%.
01:07But we have the possibility based on observed data, and, as we have always said, these do
01:16not make projections, but we can show data that is already available in our economy.
01:20If we find that the General Transportation Index shows a substantial recovery once the road
01:29blockades and cease.
01:31The government declared itself on several occasions to be the victim of an economic boycott by
01:41the political opposition, which, from the legislature, froze international credits, and delayed the
01:46approval of laws that were necessary to address the threat of crisis, due to reduced natural
01:51gas exports.
01:54They tried to hinder the economic model, and they succeeded with their blockades, road blockades,
01:58and blockades in the assembly. In the assembly, the law to strengthen international reserves
02:03when we brought the project, and it was approved, it took more than 18 months, more than a year
02:07and a half for this regulation to be passed, which, at the time, could have helped the economy.
02:15The shortage of dollars lead to a shortage of fuel, more than 80% of which is imported,
02:23and caused inflation to reach 18% in September, almost tripling official forecasts.
02:28In terms of monthly inflation, we saw a significant peak in June 2025, with speculation about reverse
02:39smuggling, but for the third consecutive month, inflation is moderating, and that should be
02:43the trend for the economy over the next few months.
02:45The economic crisis, partly caused by the country's right wing, was the central argument
02:55used by the opposition candidates who finally displaced the left wing from both the government
02:59and the legislature. The new center-right government that will take office on November 8th promises
03:05a return to neoliberalism.
03:13Thanks.
03:13Thanks.
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