Bolivian Deputy Minister for Foreign Trade and Integration Benjamín Blanco assured that the decision on such an initiative, which will connect the Atlantic and the Pacific, was agreed on January 2 during the meeting between the two heads of state.
“One of the issues raised by our heads of state, Lula and President Lucho, is precisely the reactivation of the Bi-Oceanic Rail Corridor,” confirmed Blanco in an interview with La Razón Radio.
This route will connect Bolivia, Brazil and Peru, reducing operational costs and time in international cargo transportation.
Funded by Bolivia, this project was halted in 2020 following the establishment of Jeanine Áñez’s de facto regime.
However, it resumed in 2021 after the restoration of constitutional order with President Luis Arce’s election victory.
Blanco explained that despite political differences with former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, technical meetings resumed in 2022.
The deputy director stressed that “Brazil is very keen to use Bolivia to reach the Pacific via Peru, but it is also keen to reach Argentina via our country’s Red Oriente train, which stretches as far as Villazón extends.”
He added that Bolivia has the entire consolidated railway network, leaving only a section up to the Paraguay-Paraná waterway to “make the connection”.
He stressed that the longest part, coming from Brazil, is already done and only a few small sections are missing.
Regarding Bolivia, he claimed that the Economic and Social Development Plan (PDES) 2021-2025 contains all the work that is missing to unite the eastern railway branch with the western one.
The work in the Peruvian part, where the tracks have to be laid, is less advanced.
However, Blanco warned that “it is the shortest section, it is about 300 kilometers, for which Peru has already advanced pre-feasibility, now the investments are needed to start the works.”
Regarding the political and social crisis in the neighboring country, the Deputy Minister expressed the hope that this will be overcome in the short term, in order to resume technical meetings involving all parties.
Blanco recalled that this supranational project has the support of an integrationist bloc like the Southern Common Market.
jha/jpm