Global Talk - Bolivia
GP - Hi Rosmery, thanks for your time today, please could you start by giving a brief introduction?
RM - I am Rosmery Millan and I started working in Logistics in the North of Chile 22 years ago; Transportation logistics is my passion and from the beginning I have been committed to developing the growth of Blackthorne in Bolivia, for Import and Export loads.
Blackthorne Bolivia began its registration in Bolivia in January 2020. We are located in Santa Cruz, the most thriving city in Bolivia. ?????
Since June 2021, we began logistics service operations in Bolivia (air, sea and land transportation).
GP - On a scale of 1-5 with 1 being the easiest, how difficult would you say it is to import into Bolivia? And Why?
RM - 5, it is difficult to import because:
1. there are currently restrictions on the circulation of the dollar in Bolivia. Due to government determinations, banks can only withdraw money in local currency at the exchange rate that they indicate.
2. Bolivian customs has established the price of new or used products in a database and if the importer purchases at different prices, customs calculate the taxes to be paid according to the values they determine.
3. There are many products that require prior authorisations to import and the merchant who is not aware of these restrictions may even lose his merchandise.
Is there anything you think is unique or particularly uncommon when importing into your country?
All products can be imported into Bolivia, you just have to know the customs restrictions to obtain the corresponding authorizations.
GP - So you really have to know what you're doing to import! What are the most common mistakes you see when people are trying to import into Bolivia?
RM - Lack of knowledge in import processes, from commercial registration as an importer at national customs, prior import permits, customs clearance for payment of taxes.
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GP - Do you have any disaster stories in your country, from when someone has got it wrong? Seizures, destruction, criminal proceedings, etc?
RM - Yes, I have experience in cases where customs determine the value to be used for the calculation of customs taxes, no matter how much evidence the importer presents to customs regarding the commercial invoice or payment for the purchase of their products, customs do not accept and the importer only has the option of paying the tax or losing the merchandise!
GP - What 3 tips would you give anyone thinking of importing into Bolivia?
RM - Use a company like Blackthorne who:
1. are registered with customs as an importer and/or keep licenses updated
2. are knowledgeable and can find out about the restrictions of the product to be imported
3. can revise the products' reference prices
GP - Is there anything else you would like to let everyone know?
RM - Bolivia has signed regional trade, sub-regional and bilateral agreements with the aim of opening the country to foreign investment. These agreements create new and favourable regional import and export regulations for Bolivia, making it more investor-friendly.