Since 1998, the Altiplano country was already an associated State and in 2015 it signed the accession protocol, but it did not receive the approval of all the partner countries until the end of 2023, when Brazil gave its final approval.

The president of Bolivia, Luis Arce, promulgated this Friday the protocol for the country's accession to the Southern Common Market (Mercosur), a regional forum to which the president grants a "strategic character" and which includes Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. .

Arce thus concludes the signing of the text that Parliament had previously adopted - the last endorsement was given on Wednesday by the Senate. "After almost seven months, today they finally sent us the approved law, and on this same day we promulgated it immediately," he announced.

The president has emphasized on social networks that Bolivia will join "an important space for regional integration, commercial exchange, and productive strengthening." It aspires to be an "articulating axis" throughout the region.

Bolivia was already a State associated with Mercosur since 1998 and in 2015 it signed the accession protocol, but it did not receive the approval of all the partner countries until the end of 2023, when Brazil gave its final approval.

Now, Bolivia has a period of four years to finish harmonizing with Mercosur regulations, on issues as diverse as dispute resolution, Human Rights or tariffs.