More than a thousand Armed Forces members reinforce the plan to combat fuel smuggling

The following is a machine translation of a Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energy release

The Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energy, through the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH), is intensifying the control mechanisms for the marketing of fuels and is reinforcing itself with the incorporation of more than a thousand members of the Armed Forces (FFAA) to guarantee the supply of diesel and gasoline in the domestic market.

The deployment of military personnel will include guarding tankers transporting fuel, accompanying them to their final destination. In addition, these teams will continue to exercise control at service stations to ensure that fuel distribution reaches consumers.

In recent days, the increase in fuel demand has caused queues to form at pumps in some cities across the country. However, the Executive Director of the ANH, Germán Jiménez, assured that the flow of imports, transportation and distribution remains stable and there are no supply problems.

Within the framework of decrees 4910 and 4911, the ANH is developing a comprehensive plan that includes the uninterrupted supply of fuel at strategic stations in La Paz, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Potosí and Oruro, along with reinforced patrols in critical areas, establishing five checkpoints in Santa Cruz, four in La Paz and two in Cochabamba.

In addition, alert messages will be activated to detect irregular loadings, and on-site monitoring will be carried out to identify cloned vehicles and additional tanks. All of this will be complemented by a monitoring room that will allow real-time surveillance of fuel distribution.

The Government reaffirms that it seeks to overcome structural problems, such as the limited production of crude oil and derivative liquids, inherited from previous administrations. Meanwhile, it is advancing on long-term solutions such as the industrialization of biofuels and the exploration of hydrocarbons, and concrete actions have been implemented such as the introduction of new gasolines and the Sovereignty Plan to combat fuel smuggling.