“We are coordinating joint actions with our regions to fight reverse smuggling, protect our national production, and advance in consolidating industrialization through import substitution,” Arce said on social media.

The meeting was held at the Casa Grande del Pueblo (government headquarters) on Thursday, 24 hours after the Supreme Decree 5245 was approved. This decree authorizes the mobilization of at least 1,000 troopers in border areas to prevent the illegal transfer and sale of food products to neighboring countries, with the consequent rise in domestic prices.

The authorities warn that this is one of the causes of the increase in prices of the Bolivian basic family baskets.

According to information from the meeting, the actions will be conducted in three areas: at the border, in the areas that connect Bolivia with Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Brazil; at the customs points, where Customs personnel will also participate; and in the markets of the different departments, where the Food Security Committee will operate.

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