Another South American country has gone “far-right” and the timing couldn’t be better for the U.S. as it seeks to secure its critical mineral supply chain.
Several weeks ago, Bolivia elected Rodrigo Paz as its new president. He promptly planned to scrap a ream of taxes as one of his first moves since becoming the nation’s first conservative leader in nearly two decades.
The government has also repaired relations with Washington after years of anti-American hostility dating back to when ex-President Evo Morales, a charismatic coca-growing union leader, kicked out the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in 2008 and cozied up to Russia, Iran and Venezuela.
The U.S. State Department has already announced agreements on nuclear cooperation and security assistance, and Paz has said his administration will allow Elon Musk’s Starlink to operate in Bolivia for the first time, after his predecessor refused to give it an operating license last year.