Bolivia revives anti-drug alliance after nearly 18-year break with US
#Bolivia#DEA#Rodrigo Paz#Evo Morales#US relations#drug trafficking#Latin America#diplomatic ties
📌 Key Takeaways
Bolivia has restored diplomatic ties with the US and DEA cooperation after 18 years
DEA agents are now operating in Bolivia with initial focus on border surveillance
The move ends an order from former President Evo Morales who expelled DEA agents in 2008
President Rodrigo Paz won the election on a platform of improving US relations
A full agreement on DEA's operational scope is expected in coming months
📖 Full Retelling
Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz has restored diplomatic ties with the United States and reopened cooperation with the Drug Enforcement Administration in Bolivia, confirmed on Monday, February 25, 2026, ending an 18-year hiatus in bilateral efforts to combat drug trafficking and address the country's economic crisis. Bolivian Minister of Government Marco Oviedo announced that DEA agents are already operating in the country, with initial efforts focused on tightening border surveillance and dismantling trafficking networks. The cooperation extends beyond the US to include European intelligence and police bodies, with plans to involve neighboring countries' anti-narcotics agencies as well. This significant foreign policy shift marks a dramatic reversal from Bolivia's previous leftist government under Evo Morales, who expelled all DEA agents in 2008, accusing the US of using drug enforcement efforts to pressure Latin American countries into accepting its political and economic agenda. The restoration of ties follows Paz's victory in Bolivia's first presidential run-off in modern times, where both candidates campaigned on improving relations with the US as essential to solving the country's severe economic crisis. While a full agreement outlining the DEA's specific activities and operational limits is still being negotiated, the move represents a transformative opportunity in US-Bolivia relations, with both countries having agreed to appoint ambassadors to each other's countries for the first time in nearly two decades.
🏷️ Themes
Diplomatic Relations, Drug Policy, Political Shift, International Cooperation
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is a United States federal law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice tasked with combating illicit drug trafficking and distribution within the U.S. It is the lead agency for domestic enforcement of the Controlled Substances Act, sharing co...
Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. In simple terms, the country's geography consists of a western Andean region and tropical lowlands to the east and north. More in detail, the country features a diverse geography, includ...
Rodrigo Paz Pereira (Spanish pronunciation: [roˈðɾiɣo ˈpas peˈɾejɾa]; born 22 September 1967) is a Bolivian politician and internationalist who has served as the 68th president of Bolivia since 2025. The eldest son of former president Jaime Paz Zamora and great-nephew of president Víctor Paz Estenss...
Juan Evo Morales Ayma (Spanish: [xwan ˈeβo moˈɾales ˈajma]; born 26 October 1959) is a Bolivian politician, trade union organizer, and former cocalero coca farmer who served as the 65th president of Bolivia from 2006 to 2019. Widely regarded as the country's first president to come from its indigeno...
News | Drugs Bolivia revives anti-drug alliance after nearly 18-year break with US Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz, a centrist, has moved to restore diplomatic ties with the US and cooperate with the DEA. Listen to this article | 6 mins By Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters Published On 25 Feb 2026 25 Feb 2026 Click here to share on social media Share Save In a significant foreign policy shift, Bolivia has reopened its doors to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration . The move, confirmed on Monday, ends a nearly two-decade hiatus in bilateral efforts to stem drug trafficking. Recommended Stories list of 3 items list 1 of 3 Gustavo Petro: Colombia’s former rebel fighter turned president list 2 of 3 Bolivia’s ex-leader Morales reappears in stronghold after 7-week absence list 3 of 3 Latin America: In the Shadow of the US | Ep 3 – Chaos end of list Bolivian Minister of Government Marco Oviedo told local media this week that DEA agents were already operating in the country. “The DEA is in Bolivia,” he said. “Just as the DEA is now present, we also have cooperation from European intelligence and police bodies.” Oviedo explained that the initial focus of the law enforcement efforts would be to tighten border surveillance and dismantle trafficking networks. He added that the cooperation with the DEA and European agencies was only the start of Bolivia’s expanded international efforts. “We want neighbouring countries’ anti-narcotics agencies on board as well,” Oviedo said. End to Morales order The announcement marks an end to an order issued under former left-wing President Evo Morales in 2008, effectively expelling all DEA agents from the country. Morales, the leader at the time for Bolivia’s Movement for Socialism , had accused the US of using drug enforcement efforts to pressure countries in Latin America to bend to its political and economic agenda. Under Morales, all drug enforcement cooperation with the US came to a halt, and he refused to let DEA officers into the...
