“These talks transcend borders, marking the path towards a future of solid cooperation between both nations,” wrote in X the Bolivian Minister of Hydrocarbons, Franklin Molina, in the context of the G20 forum for the preparation of tasks, viewing the 18th and 19th of November Summit.

The Governments of Bolivia and Russia restarted bilateral cooperation in December 2020 and promoted agreements on hydrocarbons, lithium, and peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

The Russian corporation Gazprom works in Bolivia, as well as Rosatom, which is linked to the Center for Research and Development in Nuclear Technology for medical applications, scientific and productive development and research for peaceful purposes.

Also, Uranium One Group, has an agreement with Yacimientos de Litio Bolivianos to build a semi-industrial pilot plant with direct lithium extraction technology in the Salar de Uyuni in Potosí, in order to produce 25 thousand tons of lithium carbonate.

Presidents Luis Arce and Vladimir Putin spoke by telephone on January 19th, 2021, when both governments resumed bilateral relations, which had stopped during the regime of Jeanine Áñez (2019-2020). “We have resumed the close relationship of cooperation that we had with #Russia, and in that context we held a telephone meeting with brother President Vladimir Putin,” Arce then had written in X.

In September 2022, in a brief statement to Prensa Latina, the then-Foreign Minister of Bolivia, Rogelio Mayta, reported that Lavrov declared at the United Nations that Putin sent his greetings to Arce, and that the president was invited to visit Russia.

jrr/llp/npg/jpm