Presidents José Antonio Kast and Rodrigo Paz signed five bilateral documents and a joint declaration with an eight-area agenda in La Paz on Friday, October 16, during the first state visit by a Chilean president to Bolivia in 71 years, Los Tiempos and Unitel reported. The agreements cover modernising the trade agreement, mining, a fibre-optic corridor from Arica and energy integration. Kast invited Paz to an official visit to Chile in 2027, and Paz accepted.
Chile and Bolivia have not had full diplomatic relations since 1978. According to Los Tiempos, both presidents expressed the intention to work towards normalising ties, although for now they remain at consular level. *Article updated on October 17 with the joint declaration and the agreements signed.*
Why Kast's visit to Bolivia is historic
It is the first state visit by a Chilean president to Bolivia in 71 years. The previous one was by Carlos Ibáñez del Campo in August 1955, La Tercera noted. Chile and Bolivia have not had full diplomatic relations since 1978: they deal with each other through consulates general. La Moneda said the immediate aim of the visit is not to restore relations, although the meeting could help towards that step.
| Year | Milestone in Chile-Bolivia relations |
|---|---|
| 1955 | Last state visit by a Chilean president to Bolivia (Carlos Ibáñez del Campo) |
| 1978 | Bolivia breaks off diplomatic relations with Chile |
| 2018 | The International Court of Justice rules that Chile is not obliged to negotiate sovereign access to the sea |
| 2022 | The same court rules on the Silala river case |
| November 2025 | Rodrigo Paz takes office as president of Bolivia |
| March 2026 | José Antonio Kast takes office as president of Chile |
| October 16, 2026 | Kast's state visit to La Paz |
Who travelled with Kast and how the day unfolded in Bolivia
Kast landed at El Alto airport shortly after 8:00 Bolivian time (9:00 in Chile). He was received by Bolivian Foreign Minister Héctor Huanca and La Paz governor Luis Revilla, who gave him the keys to the city. He was accompanied by Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna, Energy Minister Ximena Rincón, Senator Manuel José Ossandón and the governors of Arica y Parinacota, Tarapacá and Antofagasta.
| Chile time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 9:00 | Arrival at El Alto airport |
| 11:00 | Honours from the Colorados de Bolivia Regiment |
| 11:15 | Official greeting with Rodrigo Paz and private meeting, later expanded to delegations |
| After the meeting | Signing of agreements by foreign and energy ministers |
| Around 13:15 | Joint declaration |
| Afternoon | Meeting with border governors from both countries and press briefing at the Consulate General |
| 20:00 | Return to Chile |
The programme is the one reported by CNN Chile. The governors' meeting included those of La Paz and Potosí on the Bolivian side.
What Kast and Paz signed in Bolivia: the five documents
| Document | Signed by | What it sets out |
|---|---|---|
| Memorandum of understanding on mining cooperation | Foreign Minister Francisco Pérez Mackenna and Bolivian Mining Minister Marco Antonio Calderón | A non-binding five-year framework, renewable, to share information on prospecting, strategic minerals, investment, geology and environmental care |
| Terms of reference for a trade agreement | Foreign ministers Francisco Pérez Mackenna and Héctor Huanca | The basis for modernising Economic Complementation Agreement No. 22, from 1993, with chapters on services, digital trade, investment and production chains |
| Memorandum on fibre-optic interconnection | Not reported | A bioceanic corridor from Arica into Bolivia via Visviri, with access to Pacific submarine cables such as the Humboldt project to Asia |
| Joint declaration on energy integration | Kast and Paz | Willingness to assess an electricity interconnection, building on the energy memorandum of July 14, 2025 |
| Presidential joint declaration | Kast and Paz | A work agenda in eight strategic areas |
The detail of each document is as published by Los Tiempos, with information from ERBOL. Chilean media grouped them differently: 24horas reported three bilateral agreements and an energy integration declaration. Kast also announced progress on the project to reverse the Sica Sica–Arica oil pipeline.
The eight areas of the Kast–Paz declaration
| Area | Commitment |
|---|---|
| Political agenda | Reactivate the Political Consultations Mechanism and the culture, education and drugs commissions |
| Economy and trade | Modernise ACE 22, cooperate on mining and infrastructure studies with CAF support |
| Border, connectivity and logistics | Fibre-optic corridor and coordination at the Chungará–Tambo Quemado and Colchane–Pisiga crossings |
| Free transit and water resources | Reactivate the Working Group on Free Transit, with its 14th meeting in La Paz, and the binational water resources table |
| Security | Cooperation against human trafficking, drug trafficking, smuggling, vehicle theft and environmental crime |
| Consular and migration affairs | Follow up on the bilateral commission that met in Santiago on July 28, 2026, for orderly, safe and regular migration |
| Cooperation | Approve the 3rd Technical and Scientific Cooperation Programme |
| Outlook for the relationship | Official visit by Rodrigo Paz to Chile in 2027 |
The list is the one published by Unitel from the text signed by both presidents.
The 11-point agenda
The 11-point bilateral agenda was agreed in December 2025, according to Bolivia's Minister of the Presidency, Fernando Aramayo, quoted by Los Tiempos. None of the sources consulted published the full list of 11 points. The topics La Moneda announced for the agreements are these:
| Topic | What was proposed before the visit |
|---|---|
| Mining | Exchange of information and experience on critical minerals, exploration, investment and environmental practices |
| Trade | Modernising the existing trade agreement to reduce barriers and boost services and investment |
| Digital connectivity | A bi-oceanic link from Arica to Bolivia, with access to Pacific submarine cables |
| Health | Emergency care in public hospitals for citizens of both countries, regardless of migration status or ability to pay |
| Energy | Assessing a possible electricity interconnection |
| Border and security | Migration control, infrastructure and information sharing against organised crime, trafficking, smuggling and drug trafficking |
| Physical integration | Studies on port capacity and the Antofagasta-Oruro rail link |
Before the trip, the presidency warned that several instruments were still pending confirmation. The Bolivian foreign ministry said the case of the seized timber was not on the agenda, although former president Jorge Quiroga asked for it to be raised.
What Kast and Paz said
- Kast: "We did not come just for a political gesture, we came to start making history," and on organised crime: "A border can be a bridge or it can be a wound," according to 24horas.
- Kast: "Seven decades will not pass before the next meeting of presidents," quoted by Los Tiempos.
- Paz: "We see each other face to face, with frankness, with honesty and with an outstretched hand," according to the same outlet.
The signing of the agreements was also reported by CNN Chile.
What remains pending
- Diplomatic relations: they remain at consular level; La Moneda said restoring them was not the immediate goal.
- Implementation: the trade, energy and connectivity agreements require studies and, in some cases, legislative approval.
- Border: irregular migration and smuggling in the north will remain on the governors' agenda.
Frequently asked questions
What agreements did Kast and Paz sign?
Five documents: a mining memorandum, terms of reference to modernise the ACE 22 trade agreement, a fibre-optic memorandum, a declaration on energy integration and a joint declaration with eight areas of work.
Is this the first visit by a Chilean president to Bolivia?
It is the first state visit in 71 years. The previous one was by Carlos Ibáñez del Campo in August 1955.
Have Chile and Bolivia restored diplomatic relations?
No. They have remained at consular level since 1978, although the presidents expressed the intention to work towards normalising ties.
Will Rodrigo Paz visit Chile?
Yes. He accepted Kast's invitation to an official visit to Chile in 2027.
What will happen at the border?
The declaration provides for coordination at the Chungará–Tambo Quemado and Colchane–Pisiga crossings and cooperation against drug trafficking, human trafficking and smuggling.
