Bolivia, US Sign $20 Million Anti-Drug Deal

Bolivia has signed a new cooperation agreement worth $20 million with the United States (US) to fight against drug trafficking.

The deal was signed in La Paz less than two weeks after President Rodrigo Paz appointed Ernesto Justiniano as the country’s new Defence Minister.

According to the foreign ministry, the agreement will see the US provide up to $20 million to help train and equip Bolivian security forces to fight drug smuggling.

The Ministry said the deal aims to strengthen institutions responsible for public security, criminal investigations, and tackling organised crime.

The agreement marks a significant improvement in relations between the two countries, nearly two decades after former Bolivian President Evo Morales expelled the US Drug Enforcement Administration from the country in 2008.

Bolivia, US Sign $20 Million Anti-Drug Deal (NewsCentral TV) — Bolivia, US Sign $20 Million Anti-Drug Deal. Credit: BBC.

The move also follows Bolivia’s decision to join the US-led “Shield of the Americas” security initiative, which focuses on combating organised crime and drug trafficking across the region.

According to reports, the US Embassy confirmed that the United States would support Bolivia through training, equipment, and other forms of assistance.

“The United States will work closely with the Bolivian government to provide training, equipment, and other forms of support,” the embassy said.

In March 2026, President Paz joined leaders from 12 other countries at the first Shield of the Americas summit in Florida, hosted by US President Donald Trump.

The alliance recently expressed support for the Bolivian government during anti-government protests and road blockades.

Meanwhile, the coalition has continued to focus on fighting what it describes as “narco-terrorism” across the Americas.

The development comes as the US intensifies efforts to stop illegal drugs from reaching its borders, with American forces carrying out operations against suspected drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific regions.

It’s pertinent to know that Bolivia is the world’s third-largest producer of coca, the plant used to manufacture cocaine.

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