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« Intense Cold Kills Fish Populations in Three Departments | Home | Violent Protests in Potosí Draw 100,000 » Government to Seize Undocumented “Chuto” CarsPosted: Nate on Aug 02 | Transportation This week the Bolivian Government announced that it will confiscate all undocumented cars imported from Chile. These illegally imported “chutos,” common sights on rural roads between Chile and major Bolivian cities, account for a substantial portion of cars in Bolivia. Chutos are typically used cars, purchased by Bolivians while in Chile, that are driven back to Bolivia without being registered or legally imported. The cars are then sold in Bolivia’s black-market for a fraction of the cost of legal imports. Chutos can be found in rural areas as well as major cities like Oruro, Cochabamba, and La Paz. The government warned that all cars not legally registered by August 6 must be either returned to Chilean markets or face confiscation by Bolivian customs. In response to this mandate, drivers, purchasers, and sellers of Chutos protested by marching to the city of Caracollo. One of the leaders of the protest declared that chuto traders are prepared to take “radical measures” to hold onto their cars and illicit practice, saying that strikers are prepared to go on hunger strikes and defend their businesses “with their lives.” The importation of used cars older than five years has been prohibited since December 2008. And while Bolivian National Customs has seized 428 chutos in the past four months, enforcement remains low compared to the prevalence of chutos on Bolivian roads. As the chutos dealers’ fierce warnings would imply, their push to legalize the undocumented importation of used cars faces an uphill struggle. Whereas much of Bolivia’s workforce can bargain with the government by striking, chuto traders hold no such leverage—walking away from the trade is exactly what Bolivia’s government demands of chuto dealers. 2 CommentsJump to comment form | comments rss | trackback uri2 Comments so far |
we are exporters of used cars from japan to chile for bolivia.we exactly do not want to break the laws of any country which we are exporting the used cars. but bolivian government also determin the concrete laws and policies about it. we feal fear about the laws they can change any time and we get loss of millions of dollars. we just want to be informed about news and ruemors in bolivia about laws of used cars. so plz inform us with news via e-mail. and tell us how to log in your website.
thank you very much.
BUTT from JAPAN
I live in Uyuni where half the cars here are illegal. The governement pretty much burnt themselves with this chuto law. Instead of importing cars over 5 years old, everyone is driving around in stolen Nissan Terranos and luxury cars robbed from the mining companies in Chile as well as unlucky Chileans. There is a network of Chuteros who run drugs to the border and trade them for these vehicles worth more than 30 thousand US. and here you can buy a 2009 vehicle for 5 thousand US..and the funny thing is the local police give out the twin (gemelo) license plates!!!
This poor country is out of control and the honest citizens are paying for that.