Bolivia: 150 Million Liters of Fuel Adulterated by a Cross-Border Criminal Network
Bolivia has denounced a transnational criminal network accused of stealing and adulterating approximately 150 million liters of imported fuel since October, involving some 5,000 tanker trucks and triggering thousands of complaints over engine damage.
| Sectors | Oil, Fuels |
|---|---|
| Themes | Risks & Events, Investigations |
| Companies | YPFB |
| Countries | Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Argentina |
Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz denounced on Tuesday the existence of a transnational criminal network responsible for the theft and adulteration of imported fuel. Thousands of Bolivian drivers have filed complaints over engine damage, exposing the scale of a fraud affecting the entire supply chain. Against a backdrop of persistent tensions in global oil markets — where the barrel recently rebounded to $100 — the vulnerability of importing nations such as Bolivia has been laid bare. Rodrigo Paz stated that the network "steals Bolivian fuel" and replaces the extracted volumes with water and other substances.
Diversions Documented in Chile
At a press conference, Bolivian authorities released images presented as evidence of the diversion. These materials show fuel being extracted from tanker trucks and transferred to smaller-capacity vehicles on Chilean territory. Interior Minister Marco Antonio Oviedo indicated that these findings stem from an investigation conducted jointly with Chilean authorities. Bolivia's situation reflects the hydrocarbon supply difficulties facing many importing countries, as illustrated by Petron, which purchases Russian crude out of necessity.
Marco Antonio Oviedo announced plans to extend this cooperation to Paraguay and Argentina, two other overland fuel suppliers to Bolivia. Since October, the illicit activities could have involved some 5,000 tanker trucks, for a total estimated at approximately 150 million liters of adulterated fuel, according to the minister. Until now, the government had attributed poor gasoline quality to rust residues in the tanks of state company YPFB (Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos), responsible for receiving and distributing imported fuel. That official explanation has now been set aside.
Transport Strike and Compensation Claims
The previous week, a strike by public transport drivers had paralyzed La Paz and the neighboring city of El Alto. Protestors demanded compensation for the damage sustained by their vehicles. Of the approximately 10,000 compensation claims filed, more than 4,000 have been processed, according to YPFB. The disruption to traffic across both cities underscores the social scale of the fuel crisis.
Rodrigo Paz came to power in November amid a fuel shortage, pledging to resolve the crisis. While queues at service stations have since subsided, motorists' concerns persist following these revelations. The identification of a cross-border network marks a turning point in the official management of the crisis, which had until then focused on internal failures within YPFB.
