teleSUR | 6 November 2023

Arbitration court favors Bolivia in dispute with mining company

The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruled in favor of Bolivia, denying any compensation to the American mining company Orlandini for the revocation of concessions.

"This is a victory for the Bolivian State," said Attorney General Cesar Siles, who announced that the PCA rejected all of the plaintiffs’ claims, thus saving some US$500 million in damages.

Orlandini had focused its allegation on the alleged expropriation of some 48 mining concessions and properties in the towns of Antequera and Totoral, in the department of Oruro.

The case was presented to the CPA in January 2018, when the estate of Orlandini’s owner filed an international lawsuit against Bolivia.

This South American country was accused of illegally expropriating tin assets and breaching a bilateral investment treaty between Washington and La Paz signed in 2001.

The court ruled that Bolivia had not violated the 2001 treaty when it revoked the company’s mining concessions, which dated back to the 1980s.

"The most important thing is that the case cannot be reviewed... The Court’s ruling has been issued and favors Bolivia," Siles highlighted.

The Bolivian government will probably have to pay half of the administrative costs of the litigation, estimated at almost US$600,000. In compliance with the principle of confidentiality, the complete content of the arbitration award will be shared with the parties later.