Chile and Bolivia presidents meet in La Paz, ending 71-year diplomatic gap

In a landmark diplomatic event, President José Antonio Kast of Chile met his Bolivian counterpart Rodrigo Paz in La Paz, marking the first Chilean presidential visit to the city in 71 years. The talks deliberately put aside the historic dispute over Bolivia’s access to the Pacific, concentrating instead on practical cooperation across multiple sectors. An 11-point bilateral agenda was presented, covering trade facilitation, mining collaboration, infrastructure development, energy interconnection, health services, and border security.

The mining ministries signed a memorandum of understanding to exchange information on critical mineral extraction, while both governments pledged to modernise trade agreements and reduce regulatory barriers. Infrastructure proposals included new transport corridors linking the Pacific and Atlantic and a connection to the Humboldt submarine cable for improved digital communications. Health cooperation will allow emergency treatment for each country’s citizens in public hospitals and joint work on tropical diseases, and security discussions focused on joint actions against drug trafficking and organized crime.