Bolivia travel: 40 people and their families denied U.S. visas over graft, drugs

The U.S. Department of State has imposed visa restrictions on 40 individuals in Bolivia, citing corruption and drug trafficking. The measures cover 15 named Bolivian nationals and their immediate family members, and were announced under a policy unveiled on 28 September.

Key facts

• 40 individuals in Bolivia are affected by the visa restrictions.
• 15 Bolivian nationals are named, along with their immediate family members.
• The measures fall under a policy announced on 28 September and Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act.
• Those named include legislators, prosecutors, judges, police and migration officials.
• The action follows commitments made at the Doral Summit in March and the 22 September Shield of the Americas leaders' statement.

Who is affected?

The Department of State named 15 Bolivian nationals subject to the restrictions, together with their immediate family members. They include two members of the Plurinational Legislative Assembly, a former Attorney General, a former coordinating prosecutor of La Paz, judges on the Departmental Tribunal of Justice of Santa Cruz, and a former criminal court judge.

Also listed are a former departmental prosecutor of Beni, a coordinating prosecutor in the controlled substances unit in Santa Cruz, a former director of the Financial Investigations Unit, and a former chief of airport security of the Special Force to Fight Drug Trafficking (FELCN) at Viru Viru International Airport.

The list further covers a departmental police commander of Tarija and former general director of FELCN, the Santa Cruz departmental director of the General Personal Identification Service (SEGIP), a former Director General of Migration, and one private citizen.

Why were the restrictions imposed?

The Department of State said the measures target foreign nationals who, through corruption or drug trafficking, undermine democratically elected governments in the hemisphere, regardless of their political affiliation. It said the Trump Administration stands with the government of Bolivia as it works to remove criminal influence from its courts, police forces and legislature.

The action advances commitments made at the Doral Summit in March and in the Shield of the Americas leaders' statement of 22 September, the Department said.

What is the legal basis?

Section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act allows the Secretary of State to refuse a visa to a foreign national where there are reasonable grounds to believe that person's entry or planned activities could have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States.

What this means for travellers

The restrictions apply to the named individuals and their immediate family members rather than to Bolivian travellers generally. The Department of State has not announced any change to U.S. visa rules for ordinary Bolivian visitors, and no details on how the restrictions will be applied to family members have been published.