Bolivia, Chile Seek to Fight Bordering Crimes

Both countries will analyze the operation manuals for the struggle against common crimes in the mutual borders between both South American nations

A meeting of the Bordering and Integration Committee between Bolivia and Chile will analyze the operation manuals for the struggle against common crimes in the mutual borders between both South American nations.

Bolivian Defense Minister Reyni Ferreira reported Tuesday that among the topics to discuss on July 25 in the city of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, appear the treatment of regularization of the incidents in the border, and the procedures for the struggle against crimes, even beyond the bordering limits.

The meeting will have the Agreement by Bolivia and Chile for Cooperation between Carabineers of Chile and the Bolivian Police as a support.

The Agreement was signed on November 21, 2008 and ratified by the Legislatives of Bolivia and Chile.

In the document, the police forces of both countries agreed to exchange information to fight crime as minors kidnapping, smuggling of human organs, the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking.

In addition to this they added the denouncing of other crimes such as illegal trafficking of animals and goods, counterfeiting of currency, robbery or theft of vehicles and illegal entry of people.

Ferreira stressed the importance of the meeting, because Bolivia will present its proposal for a protocol to resolve border incidents, as reported on March 19, with the customs officials and national military, and on July 7 with Chilean Carabineers.

The meeting has a historical character, because it was not celebrated since 2011, as an effect of the decision of Santiago not to summon the Borders Committee, he said.

Bolivian Foreign Minister Fernando Huanacuni, recently stressed the need to reassert the commitment of binational cooperation in combating transnational crimes in the next meeting.

He also assured that the meeting of the Bordering Committee with Chile, will also be an important mechanism to solve consular topics between them.

Bolivia and Chile share nearly 900 kilometers of border together, and it is estimated that 70 percent of the illegal entering in La Paz is coming from Santiago de Chile.