Canning Paper | Bolivia – Facing a post-boom era

Bolivia – Facing the challenge of a post-boom era: Canning Papers

07th Jun 2016

The first year of the third term for the left-wing government led by President Evo Morales began, in 2014, in very different economic circumstances than had prevailed during its first two terms (2006-2013). Bolivia’s robust growth trajectory since 2006 largely had been driven by windfall income from strong demand and lofty export prices for its mainstay commodity exports – natural gas, zinc, tin, silver, and to a lesser extent oil seeds. Steadily rising fiscal earnings supported a continuous expansion of public spending, increased social welfare payments and rising real incomes from successive above-inflation annual wage increases, all of which further bolstered growth.

Introduction

The government’s policy response to a cooling economy has been to try to engineer a soft landing, with a mix of counter-cyclical measures to shore up growth. This includes a steady drawdown of international reserves to fund investment in State enterprises (particularly in energy). Plans also entail a massive expansion of borrowing in 2016- 2020, in order to further increase public investment in infrastructure and public services and in a bid to diversify the economy through industrialisation of the commodities base. It is also placing a growing emphasis on protectionist controls to favour local producers.

More recent canning papers

Education and the pandemic

Around the world, the Covid-19 pandemic has forced many people to move aspects of their lives into the digital space. Here we examine challenges around education and digital access in Latin America, consider innovative ways to overcome them, and look at what achieving digital and educational equalities would mean for opportunity and sustainable development in the region.

Becoming a member at Canning House

By joining as an individual member you’ll have the opportunity to access our wide range of public events at a discounted rate, as well as additional benefits such as online access to in-depth reports, webinar recordings and This Week in Latin America news articles.

Find out more about our membership plans

Introduction

More recent canning papers

Education and the pandemic

Becoming a member at Canning House

Sign up to our newsletter