Bolivia
While guerrilla movements in the 1960s and 1970s in Bolivia gave way to widespread crime, political violence, as well as drug and weapons trafficking, gun violence remained limited[1] and the homicide rate is one of the lowest in the region.[2] In terms of Weapons and Ammunition Management (WAM), Bolivia enacted a national legislation on the weapons and ammunition control for the first time in 2013.[3] Nonetheless, it has been deemed insufficient to tackle illegal arms trafficking[4] and the vast majority of firearms in circulation in the country remain unregistered.[5] The country accessed the UNODC firearms protocol in 2019[6] and notably receives assistance from UNLIREC and UNODC to combat illicit firearms trafficking.[7]
[1] Aaron Karp, “Surplus Arms in South America. A Survey”, Small Arms Survey, Working Paper 7, 2009, https://www.smallarmssurvey.org/sites/default/files/resources/SAS-WP7-Surplus-Arms-in-South-America.pdf.
[2] DCAF, “Bolivia Country Profile”, 12.05.15, https://issat.dcaf.ch/Learn/Resource-Library/Country-Profiles/Bolivia-Country-Profile.
[3] Charles Parkinson, “Bolivia Enacts First Fun Control Law”, InsightCrime, 19.09.13, https://insightcrime.org/news/brief/bolivia-enacts-first-gun-law/.
[4] DCAF, “Bolivia Country Profile”, 12.05.15, https://issat.dcaf.ch/Learn/Resource-Library/Country-Profiles/Bolivia-Country-Profile.
[5] Small Arms Survey, “Civilian Firearms Holdings”, 2017, https://www.smallarmssurvey.org/sites/default/files/resources/SAS-BP-Civilian-held-firearms-annexe.pdf.
[6] UNODOC, “The Global Firearms Programme conducted an assessment mission to Bolivia after the State formally accessed to the Firearms Protocol”, 2019, https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/firearms-protocol/news/gfp-assessment-mission-in-bolivia.html.
[7] Arms Trade Treaty, “UNLIREC delivers its assistance package ‘Enhancing Public Security through Crime Prevention and Firearms Control in the Andean Region’”, 2014, https://att-assistance.org/activity/unlirec-delivers-its-assistance-package-enhancing-public-security-through-crime-prevention; UNODC, “La UNODC apoya a Bolivia en la prevención y el combate del tráfico ilícito de armas de fuego”, n.d., https://www.unodc.org/bolivia/es/stories/la-unodc-apoya-a-bolivia-en-la-prevencion-y-el-combate-del-trafico-ilicito.
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Further information
Accidental explosions
Since the beginning of data collection in 1979 by the Small Arms Survey, no accidental explosions have been reported in Bolivia.
Source: UEMS Database (December 2021); Small Arms Survey. ‘Unplanned Explosions at Munitions Sites (UEMS)’. https://smallarmssurvey.org/database/unplanned-explosions-munitions-sites-uems.
Cases of diversion
Several cases of diversion have been reported in Bolivia (Table 2).
Table 2: Cases of diversion of arms, ammunition, and explosives in Bolivia
Year | Location | Description |
2020 | La Paz | Local media reported that at least four 9mm pistols were allegedly stolen from the arms depot of the Eduardo Abaroa Naval Military School.[1] |
2018 | Provenir | The Bolivian Ministry of Defence reported that an armed group made up of Brazilian and Bolivian nationals attacked a Bolivian border post at the Bolivian-Brazilian border and stole 9 AK rifles, 9 magazines and 5 pistols.[2] |
2015 | Nueva Esperanza | The Bolivian Public Prosecutor Office reported that six Brazilians nationals raided a Bolivian border post at the Brazilian-Bolivian border and stole 11 rifles, three pistols, 700 cartridges, 1 shotgun and three 22mm calibre pistols from the military personnel on duty there.[3] |
[1] Miguel Angel Melendres Galvis, « Armada Boliviana investiga supuesto robo de armas en Escuela Naval Militar », País, https://eldeber.com.bo/pais/armada-boliviana-investiga-supuesto-robo-de-armas-en-escuela-naval-militar_203669.
[2]Aldo Eyzaguirre, « Asalto y robo de armas en un puesto militar boliviano en la frontera con Brasil », Defensa, 18.06.18, https://www.defensa.com/bolivia/asalto-robo-armas-puesto-militar-boliviano-frontera-brasil.
[3] N.d., « Brasil: Capturan a implicados en robo de armas en Bolivia », Correo Del Sur, 19.12.2015, https://correodelsur.com/seguridad/20151219_brasil-capturan-a-implicados-en-robo-de-armas-en-bolivia.html.
Disposal
Destruction, use, or export of ammunition as an indicator of a state’s ability to identify and decrease aging, unsafe, or surplus ammunition.
Insufficient information on the disposal of ammunition in Bolivia.
Needs
Further requirements for an effective through-life management of ammunition in the country.
To further enhance safe and secure ammunition management, the following needs have been identified for Bolivia:
- Development or refinement of standards and procedures on stockpile management.
- Capacity development for the destruction of surplus stockpiles.
Source: PoA Report 2022, Bolivia. Please note that PoA reports focus on SALW and not specifically on ammunition.
