Bolivia, Spain Sign Three Cooperation Agreements

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Bolivian President Evo Morales signed three agreements on the Bi-Oceanic Railway Corridor, strengthening justice, and binational cooperation Tuesday.

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“The importance that the government of Spain, my country, gives to this project is absolute. We are leading this million dollar project together with Germany and Switzerland,” said Sanchez, the first Spanish prime minister to visit Bolivia in the past 20 years, while discussing the Bi-Oceanic Railway in a press conference.

“This will never happen again,” Sanchez said referring to the long time that has passed since the last high-level bilateral meeting. “The extraordinary bilateral relations both countries have has to be physically materialized with a much more regular presence on the part of the government of Spain.”

The Bolivian president also praised bilateral relations and asked Sanchez to thank the people of Spain for forgiving Bolivia’s foreign debt with the country.

The heads of state met in the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia’s most populated city and home to Morale’s fiercest opposition.  

Morales highlighted the favorable economic situation in the Andean country, “number one in economic growth in South America,” and used the opportunity to address the Spanish business sector. “Any investment here is totally guaranteed,” Morales told Spain’s delegation.

Neither Sanchez nor Morales provided details on the agreement signed to strengthen justice, but a summary of the agreement signed revealed it is oriented towards combating human trafficking.

Bolivia also received Spain’s support to host the 2019 summit between the European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac).

Sanchez’s visit to Bolivia is his second stop the prime minister's Latin American tour. His first high-level meeting was with Chilean president, businessman Sebastian Pieñera. He will continue his trip, which will take him to Colombia and Costa Rica next.