Access to the Sea?
August 25, 2009
Will Bolivia be getting a little piece of Chile's coast?
According to Americas Quarterly:
President Alan García of Peru announced on Monday his belief that Bolivian President Evo Morales has successfully negotiated an “under-the-table” maritime deal with Chile that will grant sea access to the landlocked republic.
As first reported here, Bolivia lost its access to the Pacific Ocean after the War of the Pacific in 1883. Of course, these nations are still acting hostile through fierce denials and accusations of “provocation.” Peru has the right to review any treaty dealing with possible sea access for fellow loser Bolivia. We’ll see if anything comes out this – as these kinds of deals are dime a dozen.
“Under the table” is one way of putting it. It’s kind of a wacky scheme to build an artificial island off the Chilean coast, with a tunnel running under Chile into Bolivia.