Chile-Peru boundary spat a setback for Bolivia too

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Peru’s decision this week to contest its maritime limits with Chile also dealt a blow to the territorial aspirations of the two nations’ impoverished neighbor, Bolivia. Like Peru, Bolivia lost coastal territory to Chile in a 19th century war. But the conflict also left Bolivia landlocked, throttling its export potential. Bolivia and Chile have since endured a kind of Cold War and still don’t have full diplomatic relations.

But the current presidents, Chile’s Michelle Bachelet and Bolivia’s Evo Morales, seem to get along well and have both spoken of reconciliation. The two Andean republics have even had preliminary talks about creating a potential Bolivian corridor through Chilean territory. One possible scenario: sales of Bolivian natural gas to energy-starved Chile in exchange for a Bolivian sea outlet. But Peru’s suit against Chile before the International Court of Justice in The Hague challenging the current maritime limits complicates matters. A prospective Bolivian Pacific port would be close to waters disputed by Peru, providing another hurdle to any deal, as the Bolivian daily La Razon reports today. Bolivians’ hope for a coastal outlet seems an ever more distant dream.

-- Patrick J. McDonnell in Buenos Aires