Bolivia and its risky anti-imperialist strategy: on the verge of isolation?

It was within the framework of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York last September 20 when Presidents Luis Arce of Bolivia and Ebrahim Raisi of Iran coordinated, among other issues, a meeting between the Bolivian ambassador in Tehran, Romina Perez, and the mayor of the Iranian city of Tabriz, Ya qub Hoshiar.

“We evaluated the strengthening of trade exchange in the post-Pandemic reconstruction and a strategic plan that includes health, culture, education and space agency, agriculture and telecommunications,” the Bolivian president posted on his Twitter account.

The meeting took place on Sunday, October 9. At the end of the conference, the message of the local Iranian authority was clear:

“Bolivia’s anti-imperialist vision is gratifying and is the same message that Imam Khomeini presented fifty years ago”, as quoted by Irna, the official agency of the Iran regime.

However, her statements did not cause as much commotion in the South American country as those of the Bolivian ambassador, who came out in support of the Iranian government, despite the harsh repression by the police of the protests that broke out three weeks ago after the death of Mahsa Amini.

The young Iranian woman died last month in police custody after being arrested for violating the country’s strict dress code, which includes the Islamic veil.

“Our government condemns the recent riots in Iran, perpetrated by British and American Zionists, and we are sure that all problems will be solved with the solidarity, knowledge, and understanding of Iran’s dear leader!” said Romina Perez.

Following her controversial statements, the Bolivian Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a press release, informing that Perez had been called to appear in La Paz “to receive a report and evaluate the circumstances”.

The diplomat later stated that she had never made such statements and would ask Iran International for a rectification.

However, neither Perez nor the Arce government have referred to the more than 200 deaths in Iran, reported by the NGO Iran Human Rights Watch on Wednesday, October 12.

“Beyond the clarifications, denials, and measures of the Foreign Ministry, the statements reflect the Bolivian anti-U.S. and pro-Iranian sentiment, although it is not politically correct to say so, less so when women in Iran decide to raise their voices, claiming their human rights,” Erika Brockmann, political scientist and expert in Gender Studies at the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), told DW in this regard.

BOLIVIA’S SUPPORT FOR RUSSIA AT THE UN

Bolivian Foreign Minister Rogelio Mayta also met with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, at the United Nations on September 21.

The Russian Minister extended the invitation of the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, to President Arce to visit his country, and a joint economic commission was jointly coordinated for December in La Paz.

Likewise, the installation of a Nuclear Research Center in the South American country was again discussed as part of the Russian-Bolivian bilateral agenda.

Days later, on October 7, Bolivia made a new gesture towards Russia at the United Nations Human Rights Council, where the project for the appointment of a UN special rapporteur to investigate and denounce the violation of human rights in Russia was approved.

Only six countries voted against it: China, Cuba, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Venezuela, and Bolivia.

The researcher and professor of the Helmut-Schmitt University, Ana Soliz de Stange, is critical of the international management being carried out by President Luis Arce.

“By supporting countries that act without following the rules of the international system, Bolivia becomes an accomplice,” she said in an interview with DW.

A MORE VISIBLE STANCE SINCE THE WAR IN UKRAINE

Dr. Angus McNelly, professor and researcher in International Relations at the University of Greenwich, UK, highlights the “technocratic” way of governing and the style of government of Luis Arce.

However, in international matters, he believes that he upholds the legacy of Evo Morales.

“Although Evo had the expectation that Arce would have been more manageable – which is not the case – the truth is that this anti-imperialist attitude is maintained in international relations,” he told DW.

An idea shared by political scientist Brockmann, who maintains that Bolivia has maintained the same position in international politics for many years but that now it has only become much more visible due to Russia’s military operation in Ukraine.

“And Bolivia looks bad because it is seen as a Latin American island, where not even Chile or Argentina have dared to take positions of this nature so explicitly.

“There are no economic or regional integration reasons that justify such levels of dependence,” she explains.

For Professor Soliz de Stange, Bolivia’s current position also represents a series of risks for the country in the future:

“Economically, it reduces the possibilities of investment from Western countries and access to certain types of credits or aid programs.

“On the political-diplomatic side, Bolivia is isolated within the United Nations, and cooperation initiatives at that level are reduced,” she stresses.

On the contrary, the expert says the South American country should have a pragmatic foreign policy based on identifying its national interests. Something that is not happening today.

“Bolivia currently has a very deteriorated international image”, she concludes.

With information from DW

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