Part 8/11:
Zion emphasizes that Bolivia's economic prospects are intertwined with global commodity trends. For the last two decades, soaring commodity prices—fuelled by Chinese demand—enabled Bolivia and similar resource-dependent nations to benefit from higher exports. However, the landscape is shifting.
China, Bolivia's primary market for raw materials, faces demographic challenges and a slowdown in infrastructure demand. Meanwhile, Western countries, including the United States, are recognizing the need for reindustrialization—shifting toward domestic manufacturing and resource independence. Yet, internal policies in the U.S. tend to discourage mineral extraction through tariffs and nationalization tendencies, creating a paradoxical environment.