Bolivia

Shortly before the presidential election in Bolivia, the Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) warns that indigenous ways of life in the plurinational state could come under even greater pressure after the election. Around half of Bolivia's population belongs to one of the 36 recognized Indigenous Peoples. “This election is a decision about the direction the country will take: either Bolivia makes a credible commitment to the constitution, justice, and sustainability, or the plurinational project will fail,” says Jan Königshausen, the STP’s expert on Indigenous Peoples.

“Illegal gold mining, forest fires, the expansion of agricultural land, and palm oil projects threaten indigenous territories and the communities living there,” explains Königshausen. Although the Bolivian constitution guarantees the rights of Indigenous Peoples and the protection of the environment, state authorities ignore relevant court rulings. “The government's inaction, for example in the case of illegal gold mining in the Beni and Madre de Dios rivers, is a flagrant violation of the principles of the rule of law and has symbolic significance,” warns the human rights activist. The use of mercury in gold mining contaminates the soil and water. The health consequences are devastating: According to a report by the indigenous organization CPILAP (Central de Pueblos Indígenas de La Paz), 74.5 percent of people in indigenous communities in their territory have exceeded the medically safe level of mercury in their bodies. Although a court ruling in 2023 ordered the suspension of illegal mining activities in the area, these continue unabated.

“This is an expression of a fundamental crisis that is almost completely ignored in the current election campaign and represents a threatening political vacuum. The economic crisis overshadows everything, but instead of tackling the problems fundamentally and sustainably, all the presidential candidates are sticking to exploitative economic models in the form of mining and monoculture,” criticizes Königshausen. This means that a central promise of the plurinational state in Bolivia remains unfulfilled: the equal protection of different worldviews, rights, and ways of life, especially those of indigenous cultures and their natural livelihoods.

The STP calls on the incoming Bolivian government to protect indigenous rights, immediately implement the ruling to stop illegal mining activities, and end extractive access to indigenous territories. In addition, the government must guarantee that the indigenous organization CPILAP plays an active role in the National Mercury Plan.

This press release was translated from German to English using AI. If you come across errors or ambiguities, please contact us at presse@gfbv.de.