The government of Chilean president José Antonio Kast, from the far-right conservative side, announced this Thursday the sending of humanitarian aid to Bolivia, as a show of support for Rodrigo Paz amid the severe political and social crisis caused by the intense protests that have blocked La Paz. The demonstrations have intensified in recent days and have caused shortages and fuel scarcity. The organizers demand the resignation of the Bolivian president, whom they hold responsible for the economic problems affecting the Andean country.
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The Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Chancellor Francisco Pérez Mackenna, detailed that the humanitarian aid has already departed for Bolivia on a Chilean Air Force Hercules plane and includes 12 pallets, with 480 boxes of food in 4×4 kits, that is, to feed four people for four days. It was received by the Chilean consul in La Paz, Fernando Velasco, and the Bolivian Deputy Minister of Commerce and Internal Logistics, Gustavo Serrano. “Chile will always be willing to help when a brother country needs our support. Cooperation strengthens our relations and this concrete action is a reflection of that,” said Chancellor Pérez Mackenna.
Kast’s government had already expressed concern about the events of recent weeks in Bolivia. Chile is a signatory of a joint letter with Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru. “We reject any action aimed at destabilizing the democratic order and altering the institutional framework of the constitutional government of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, democratically elected in the General Elections held in 2025,” the text stated, released last week, calling on Bolivian society to resolve its conflicts peacefully. “We urge all political and social actors to channel their differences by prioritizing dialogue, respect for institutions, and the preservation of social peace.”
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Chile and Bolivia have maintained a complex diplomatic relationship over the past decades, marked by a maritime claim that has lasted nearly 140 years. Bolivians, who lost their coastline to Chileans after the War of the Pacific (1879-1884), have demanded territorial return or facilities to access the Pacific Ocean. The issue led to the rupture of diplomatic relations between the two countries, in effect since 1962 — except for a hiatus between 1975 and 1978, when Santiago and La Paz were ruled by military dictatorships. Paz’s arrival to the Bolivian executive after decades of leftist governments and Kast’s installation in La Moneda had managed to ease diplomatic tensions. Both governments approached each other to discuss security and the migratory crisis facing northern Chile involving both states. The cordiality between the presidents has even raised expectations about a possible restoration of relations with embassies in each capital.
The delivery of aid to countries in crisis has been a subject of controversy in Chilean politics. In February 2026, during the last weeks of the leftist administration of President Gabriel Boric, the Chilean Foreign Ministry announced the sending of humanitarian aid to Cuba through the Chile Fund against Hunger and Poverty. The contribution, which sought to alleviate the effects of the oil blockade imposed on the island by U.S. President Donald Trump, was criticized by the then right-wing opposition, which accused the executive of allegedly supporting the Castro regime led by Miguel Díaz-Canel.
