Nielmar de Oliveira
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Rio – Following a report this week by the French news agency EFE, Petrobras admitted yesterday (March 29) that its negociations with the new Bolivian government are at a standstill. A spokesperson says the talks have made no progress for a month because president Evo Morales has not appointed a negotiator. "We are trying to keep communication channels open with the Bolivian government, but we are not getting any answers from them," said the spokesperson.

Under the circumstances, continues the spokesperson, Petrobras is unable to make unilateral decisions. Its investment plans for Bolivia are on hold until such time as it becomes clear that there is someone it can negotiate with.

Petrobras is a significant investor in Bolivia and before the breakdown in the negotiation process was involved in talks concerning refineries, petroleum exploration and production, biofuels, developing the Bolivian natural gas sector, conversion of vehicles to natural gas use and the residential use of natural gas.

Ildo Sauer, a Petrobras director, points out that the corporation has contracts with the Bolivian government that run to 2019 guaranteeing that 27 million cubic meters daily of natural gas will flow to Brazil from Bolivia.

Translation: Allen Bennett