Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz has initiated a plan to enhance security along the country’s border with Brazil. This move aims to combat organized crime, which has surged amid a conflict between Brazilian cartels vying for control of drug trafficking routes.
Paz announced the initiative from Guayaramerín in northern Bolivia, a region neighboring Brazil. Here, the Bolivian police conducted land patrols, while the Naval Force monitored the shared river using boats. Operations were simultaneously carried out in Beni, Pando, and Santa Cruz. These areas collectively share a 3,400-kilometer border with Brazil.
“Who wants to visit a place where there’s a security risk?” asked Paz in his speech. “Who is willing to invest in a city without safety?” This statement followed a recent shootout in a border town, which resulted in the arrest of four individuals. Among them were members of the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), involved in a rivalry over drug routes with the Comando Vermelho (CV). Both groups are labeled as terrorists by the United States.
Experts note that these drug routes were once managed by Uruguayan drug trafficker Sebastián Marset. He was captured in Bolivia and handed over to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in March. The struggle over these trafficking routes—primarily from Bolivia to Brazil—has led to a rise in border-related crimes. In recent weeks, at least 15 people, including a Bolivian police officer, have been killed.
The police commander, Mirko Sokol, stated that the plan “is to assert the presence of the state.” Bolivia ranks as the world’s third-largest producer of cocaine after Colombia and Peru. The operation is coordinated with Brazil to prevent criminals from fleeing across the border.
During the event, several authorities from the Brazilian state of Rondonia, including Guajará-Mirim’s Mayor Fábio Netinho, were present. Mayor Netinho expressed his commitment to a safer and more integrated border on his Facebook page, emphasizing the preparation for new opportunities.
Paz blamed the relaxed border controls during the nearly two decades of leadership under Evo Morales (2006-2019) and Luis Arce (2020-2025) for facilitating the spread of organized crime. Bolivian Government Minister Marco Antonio Oviedo recently acknowledged the increase in crimes like assaults and murders in the border area.
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