Wed, 13 Aug 2025

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 Economic woes dominate as Bolivia prepares to go to the polls

The South American country is dealing with very high inflation ahead of its latest general election.

* Bolivia's economy is in crisis, with inflation at 24%, causing food and fuel shortages.
* The country's natural gas production has declined, leading to a shortage of US dollars and making it harder to import goods.
* The government has stopped subsidizing petrol and diesel, leading to price hikes and long queues at petrol stations.
* The official exchange rate is fixed at 6.96 bolivianos to one US dollar, but the unofficial rate is much higher, leading to a thriving black market.
* Businesses are struggling due to credit card restrictions and high interest rates.
* Many people hope that a new government will be able to turn the country's fortunes around, but some experts are skeptical.
* The next president faces a difficult task in sorting out the economic mess and making structural changes to the economy.
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