Bolivia & US Team Up to Beat Drug Smuggling – $20M Deal

Fri Jun 19 2026 08:10:51 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The new partnership supplies $20 million to train and equip Bolivian troops, signalling a fresh push against drug trafficking.

Bolivia has signed a $20 million U.S. aid package that will fund training and equipment for its forces to crack down on drug smuggling. The deal marks a shift from the 2008 split when the U.S. DEA was expelled from the country. With President Rodrigo Paz steering a centrist government, Bolivia has re‑joined U.S. security initiatives like Shield of the Americas. The agreement follows mounting protests and a coalition backing from U.S. allies. It also underscores increased U.S. military strikes on vessels suspected of handling illicit drugs, raising questions about international law.

Bolivia & US Team Up to Beat Drug Smuggling – $20M Deal

The Chilean coins of the plan see Bolivia signing a $20 million aid bundle from the United States. The money will help train and supply troops so they can stop drugs from moving across the borders of South America.

It marks the first time the US and Bolivia have worked together in almost a dozen years, after the 2008 expulsion of the DEA that happened under former President Evo Morales.

The move comes as President Rodrigo Paz’s centrist government has joined the U.S.‑led Shield of the Americas security group. The alliance says it will fight “narco‑terrorism” and has already publicly backed Bolivia in the face of road‑block protests.

While the partnership focuses on training, U.S. forces have recently been striking ships that are suspected of smuggling drugs across the Caribbean and Pacific. These operations add a layer of tension about whether they comply with international law.

The $20 million will go to modernising equipment, setting up better surveillance, and giving officers specialized training. Officials say the plan will strengthen institutions that handle public security and investigations in Bolivia.

The deal is a sign that Bolivia is changing course after a long history of siding with anti‑U.S. policies. It remains to be seen how the community will react as the country moves forward with this fresh partnership.