Bolivia—another strike from the resources curse?
An IMF study fears Bolivia's gas boom could explode. It wants the government to change tack
Bolivia is under pressure from the International Monetary Fund to offer tax and other incentives to attract more foreign companies and speed up the exploration and development of new gas reserves before existing fields run dry. The IMF is also concerned at the country's fast-rising public debt as President Evo Morales's long-serving socialist government continues to spend heavily despite plummeting revenues from oil and gas exports. In its latest report on the financial health of one of South America's poorest countries, the IMF also expressed doubts about the long-term focus of state-owned oil company YPFB on "exploitation rather than exploration". It also has reservations about Bolivia's b
Also in this section
13 March 2026
Brussels is again weighing a cap on gas prices amid the Hormuz crisis, but the measure could backfire by deterring the LNG cargoes Europe urgently needs
12 March 2026
Emergency oil stocks provide a last line of defence to oil market shocks, so the IEA’s unprecedented 400m bl release represents something of a double-edged sword
12 March 2026
LPG could rapidly expand access to clean cooking across Africa and prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from indoor air pollution each year, but infrastructure shortages and regulatory barriers are slowing investment and market growth
11 March 2026
Missiles over Dubai and disruption in Hormuz are testing the emirate’s reputation—and shaking the energy hub at the centre of the Gulf economy
