BOLIVIA · EDUCATION
Key Facts
- The country Bolivia is a landlocked Andean nation led since November 2025 by President Rodrigo Paz, who backs US satellite internet.
- What happened On Tuesday 20 October 2026 Paz signed agreements with 85 municipalities in La Paz department to install Starlink antennas in state schools.
- The programme It is called Aula Conectada, or Connected Classroom, with a pilot in 2026 and 2027 and the full rollout between 2027 and 2030.
- The numbers Government figures range from at least 4,500 to about 4,700 antennas for state schools across the country.
- Who does what The Education Ministry picks the schools and trains teachers, while municipalities provide the physical conditions, logistics and upkeep.
- Power Index Bolivia ranks 12th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 28.4 points (October 2026 edition).
The Bolivia Starlink plan calls for about 4,700 antennas, the satellite internet dishes of the US company SpaceX, in public schools by 2030. President Rodrigo Paz launched the plan on Tuesday 20 October 2026 by signing agreements with 85 municipalities in La Paz department.
For US readers, the Bolivia Starlink plan is a state-backed order for an American satellite network in the Andes. It also shows a government that has bet on US technology to close its digital divide since taking office in November 2025.
What Was Signed in La Paz
Paz signed the agreements at the old Government Palace in La Paz on Tuesday 20 October 2026, the city’s 478th founding anniversary. Each deal lets the central government install Starlink antennas at state-run schools in the municipality.
Paz wrote on social media that, like a road, the network will carry information and opportunities to all, especially to rural areas. He said the scheme starts as a pilot in 2026 and 2027, with the full strategy running from 2027 to 2030.
The Bolivia Starlink programme is called Aula Conectada, which means Connected Classroom. Its stated goals are to narrow the digital divide and improve reading, writing and mathematics.
How the Rollout Is Meant to Work
Education Minister Erick Sanjinés said his ministry will choose the schools that receive antennas and train teachers in digital skills. Municipal governments must provide the physical conditions, logistics and long-term upkeep.
Paz wrote that at least 4,500 antennas were arranged for state schools nationwide, including installation, follow-up and 24 months of free service. At the public event he put the national total at about 4,700, a figure he qualified with “if I am not mistaken”.
Sanjinés said the goal is not just technology but its teaching use, with teachers deciding when and how to use it. He also said the government has no intention of privatising education.
Why Starlink and Why Now
Starlink is a satellite internet service of SpaceX, the company founded by Elon Musk, using thousands of low-orbit satellites. Bolivia opened the door by decree on 22 December 2025, allowing Starlink, OneWeb and Amazon’s Kuiper to operate.
Bolivia’s telecoms regulator said Starlink had 40,000 connections in the country between February and May 2026, through the state company Entel. In August Paz announced more than 5,000 school antennas, to be installed by Entel, starting in La Paz, Cochabamba and Santa Cruz.
In July 2026 El Alto signed for 312 antennas, with two years of internet paid by the state and the city paying afterwards. Paz argues antennas are easier to replace than satellites, since Bolivia’s own Túpac Katari satellite cost more than US$250 million.
What It Means for US Readers
The Bolivia Starlink plan sends state money partly to a US firm, since Starlink belongs to SpaceX. The government has not said how much of the cost goes to Starlink and how much to Entel or other local partners.
The move follows neighbours: Paraguay is connecting schools with Starlink kits, and Argentina has announced plans for 6,000 rural schools. See also how Entel brought Starlink to Peru and why Venezuela granted Starlink 7 licences.
The Starlink licence was announced on Paz’s inauguration day, when US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau attended. The schools plan does not promise internet access for the general public.
What Is Not Known
The government has not said how many schools join the Bolivia Starlink scheme or when installation happens. The final number of antennas, 4,500 or 4,700, and the total cost of the programme have also not been published.
Who pays after the 24 free months is not stated, though El Alto’s deal puts that bill on the city. It is also not yet clear how many Bolivian schools have no internet in October 2026.
More: Bolivia news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Aula Conectada?
Aula Conectada, or Connected Classroom, is the Bolivia Starlink programme to bring satellite internet to state schools through Starlink antennas. It aims to narrow the digital divide and support reading, writing and mathematics.
How many Starlink antennas will Bolivia install?
President Paz put the national total at about 4,700 antennas at a public event on 20 October 2026. His own social media post cited at least 4,500 antennas for state schools.
Who pays for the internet service?
Paz wrote that the antennas come with installation, follow-up and 24 months of free service. Municipalities must guarantee upkeep, and El Alto has agreed to pay after the first two years.
When will schools get connected?
The programme runs as a pilot in 2026 and 2027, with the full strategy between 2027 and 2030. The government has not published an installation schedule.
Is Starlink legal in Bolivia?
A decree of 22 December 2025 allowed low-orbit satellite services such as Starlink, OneWeb and Kuiper. The regulator said in 2026 that Starlink held a six-month experimental licence while permanent rules were prepared.
Sources: Opinión, 21 October 2026; Urgente.bo (President Paz’s social media post), 20 October 2026; Erbol, 20 October 2026; eju.tv, 20 October 2026; Unitel (EFE), 20 October 2026; Brújula Digital, 21 October 2026; Los Tiempos, 8 July 2026; DPL News, 7 August 2026; TeleSemana, 4 September 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