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Weekly Report - 22 October 2026 (WR-26-42)

Can Bolivia and Chile bury the hatchet?

One of Latin America’s oldest inter-state standoffs moved towards resolution on 16 October when President José Antonio Kast became the first Chilean leader in seven decades to make a state visit to Bolivia. The bilateral relationship, long soured by an impasse over Bolivian demands for sea access, which it lost in the War of the Pacific (1879-1884), now seems to be at a crossroads. But it is Bolivia that will need to compromise by setting aside, or at least going quiet on, its maritime claim if normal diplomatic relations are to be established. This will raise political difficulties for President Rodrigo Paz but could also bring benefits in the form of Chilean cooperation on mining, energy, and security.

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