Santa Cruz Fuel Shortage Returns in Bolivia as Imported Petrol Steps In
BOLIVIA · ENERGY
Key Facts
- —The country Bolivia, a landlocked Andean nation that imports almost all its diesel and still subsidises petrol at the pump.
- —The background Diesel has sold at market prices since 18 September, while petrol stays at a regulated Bs 6.96 a litre (US$0.58).
- —What happened The Santa Cruz fuel shortage returned this week, with petrol queues also in Cochabamba, Sucre and Riberalta, El Deber reported on 3 October.
- —Why State oil company YPFB blames a halt in tanker-truck deliveries, which a deal with truckers on 30 September was meant to end.
- —The alternative In Santa Cruz and Montero, private firm BioPetrol sells Argentine petrol at about Bs 18 a litre (US$1.50), 2.6 times more.
- —What it means for you Drivers who can pay more have an alternative to the queues; everyone else should fill up early and expect waits.
- —Still open When deliveries fully recover. YPFB expects queues to shrink gradually but has given no date.
The Santa Cruz fuel shortage is back, with drivers in Bolivia’s largest city queuing again for subsidised petrol. Lines also returned in Cochabamba, Sucre and the Amazon town of Riberalta, El Deber reported on Saturday 3 October.
For those who can afford it, there is now a way round the queue. A private company sells imported Argentine petrol at about 2.6 times the regulated price.
Queues Are Back at the Pumps
In Santa Cruz, queues stretching for a kilometre formed from Monday night, 28 September, Correo del Sur reported. Some stations ran dry, and drivers said they tried two or three before finding petrol.
In Cochabamba, drivers told El Deber they joined lines from midnight or 2:00 a.m. and barely moved. “Almost the whole day, just to waste my time,” one transport worker said.
New controls added to the frustration. Some motorcyclists said they were turned away after hours of waiting, because bikes without number plates could no longer fill up.
The Santa Cruz fuel shortage matters beyond the city. Santa Cruz is the centre of Bolivia’s farm economy, and its trucks, buses and harvest machines need steady supply.
Why Supply Broke Down
YPFB, the state oil company, says the problem is transport, not a lack of fuel. “The petrol queues occurred because this link was missing, essential to supply the whole country,” said Víctor Hugo Blacud, YPFB’s operations chief.
On 30 September YPFB signed a deal with Campetrol, the chamber of fuel transport firms, which groups about 47 companies. After about 12 hours of talks, the truckers agreed to resume deliveries to every department, Urgente reported.
The two sides also agreed to hire a specialised firm to study transport costs. Freight rates are a long-running dispute, as covered in Bolivia Fuel Deal Keeps Tanker Drivers Moving After 83% Diesel Price Rise.
Three days after the deal, the Santa Cruz fuel shortage and queues elsewhere persisted, according to El Deber. Blacud said they should shrink step by step as the tankers return to the road.
The Imported Alternative
Since 11 September the private company BioPetrol has sold petrol imported from Argentina at stations in Santa Cruz and nearby Montero. The 100-octane fuel costs about Bs 18 a litre (US$1.50), Montero Noticias reported.
Regulated special petrol costs Bs 6.96 a litre (US$0.58), a price set by decree in December 2025. The gap is Bs 11.04 a litre (US$0.92).
For American readers, that means about US$5.68 a gallon for the imported fuel and about US$2.20 for the regulated kind. Conversions use 12.00 bolivianos per US dollar, the central bank’s official rate for 4 October 2026.
It is sold without state subsidy, under new rules that let private firms import fuel at market prices, El Deber reported. Its price limits it to drivers who value time over money.
Santa Cruz Also Imports Its Own Diesel
Santa Cruz has tried imports for diesel too. About 4 million litres arrived via the regional government and three private importers, Correo del Sur reported on 30 September.
Diesel has been priced by the market since Supreme Decree 5716 took effect on 18 September. It ended a price freeze dating from 2005, as reported in Bolivia Diesel Subsidy Ends: Price Rises 83% as Fuel Queues Shrink.
Tighter Controls on Subsidised Fuel
Because petrol is still cheap, the government says smugglers have switched to it from diesel. The fuel regulator now tracks loads by number plate and has blocked about 6,700 plates in a month.
Those figures were covered in Bolivia Fuel Crackdown Blocks 6,700 Vehicles in a Month. Hydrocarbons Minister Marcelo Blanco said some gas-converted vehicles loaded 337 litres a month, against about 110 for a public transport vehicle.
What It Means for Drivers and Businesses
The Santa Cruz fuel shortage has created a two-speed market. Drivers who can pay 2.6 times more can buy imported petrol, while everyone else waits for subsidised supply.
For visitors and residents, the practical advice is simple: fill up whenever you can and allow extra time. Businesses with vehicle fleets face higher costs either way, in waiting time or in fuel prices.
The return of queues does not mean Bolivia has run out of fuel. YPFB says volumes are there, and the bottleneck is getting them to the pumps.
What Comes Next
The cost study agreed with the truckers could reopen the question of freight rates, and with it the risk of new stoppages. YPFB has not said when it will be finished.
Fuel policy is also a political flashpoint. Former president Evo Morales has threatened nationwide protests from 13 October unless the diesel decree is repealed.
Road blockades would make the Santa Cruz fuel shortage harder to fix. The government’s only public reply so far has been to remind Morales of his arrest warrants.
More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Why is there a fuel shortage in Santa Cruz, Bolivia?
The Santa Cruz fuel shortage stems from interrupted tanker-truck deliveries, not from a lack of fuel, says state oil company YPFB. A deal with the truckers on 30 September was meant to restore supply.
How much does petrol cost in Bolivia?
Regulated special petrol costs Bs 6.96 a litre (US$0.58). Imported Argentine petrol sold by BioPetrol in Santa Cruz costs about Bs 18 a litre (US$1.50).
Is the Santa Cruz fuel shortage affecting diesel too?
The latest queues are mainly for subsidised petrol. Diesel now sells at market prices, and the Santa Cruz regional government has arranged its own imports.
What should travellers in Bolivia do?
Fill up whenever possible and allow extra time for journeys. Expect queues at stations selling subsidised petrol, especially in Santa Cruz and Cochabamba.
Sources: El Deber, 3 October 2026; eju.tv, 3 October 2026; Correo del Sur, 30 September 2026; Urgente, 30 September 2026; Montero Noticias, 11 September 2026; Erbol, 17 December 2025; Banco Central de Bolivia, 4 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief
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