C.R. & F. Rojas Abogados
  April 21, 2020 - Bolivia

Declaration of Sanitary Emergency and Quarantine in Bolivia
  by Paula Bauer

The Plurinational State of Bolivia, within the framework of its governmental powers and in accordance with the Declaration of Sanitary Emergency and Quarantine established in recent days, has determined to strengthen the latest measures. The government has conviniently declared that the total quarantine, extends until April 30, 2020, maintaining the suspension of public and private activities.

Every inhabitant and every person who remains in the territory of Bolivia in its entirety is obliged to remain in their homes or in the residence where they are for the duration of the Total Quarantine.

It is allowed to make minimum or essential trips, which are only to stock up on the products and supplies needed in the vicinity of your home or residence, trips that must be included between the hours of 07:00 in the morning and 12:00 in the afternoon. This authorization consists of a single person per family and whose age is between eighteen (18) and sixty-five (65) years. You can move once a week according to the completion of the last digit of your Identity Card (C.I.), according to the following detail: 

  • Monday, the people whose number of C.I. ends at 1 and 2;
  • Tuesday, the people whose number of C.I. ends at 3 and 4;
  • Wednesday, the people whose number of C.I. ends at 5 and 6;
  • Thursday, the people whose number of C.I. ends at 7 and 8;
  • Friday, the people whose number of C.I. ends at 9 and 0.

People with alphanumeric identification should consider the last contiguous numeric digit.

Those people over sixty-five (65) years of age in need and / or helplessness, may go to No. 800101005, in order to receive assistance so that they can source the necessary products and supplies.

Exceptionally, the validity of expired identifications is extended from November 2019 to June 2020.

With the exception of pharmaceutical and health establishments, including private clinics, health posts and other health facilities at different levels, services for the care of the vulnerable population, authorized means of transport to attend emergencies that may arise, means of transport for the transfer of the personnel of the health services of the public and private sector, the media and others that by the nature of strategic service are generated and that have no attention limit, including within this exception their respective personnel.

The opening and customer service of bank financial services and non-bank financial institutions, services dedicated to the supply of basic necessities, neighborhood stores, will be authorized exceptionally from 08:00 to 12:00. markets, supermarkets and supply centers for basic necessities, that can carry out their activities, authorizing the exceptional circulation of people who provide these services from 06:00 in the morning to 13:00.

Exceptional circulation will be authorized to people who need medical attention and who are in a situation of fortuitous event or force majeure.

Only the circulation of private vehicles and others that by strategic nature are dedicated to the provision of basic services and the supply of basic necessities will be allowed;

The organization of social, political, rallies, demonstrations, strikes and blockades of streets, urban, rural and neighborhood roads is prohibited.

Every company dedicated to the production of food, the provision of supplies for it, as well as the preparation of hygiene products and medicines, must carry out their activities uninterruptedly or in accordance with the modality applicable to their activity, in order to guarantee the production and supply chain.

Every company or person dedicated to the supply activities or producers of essential items must carry out their activities from Monday to Sunday twenty-four (24) hours a day, in order to guarantee the supply of products to the entire population. The supply with its suppliers must be between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m., according to the modality applicable to its activity. And they must provide the means of transport and the corresponding authorizations for the movement of their personnel.

Companies that provide gasoline, gas, diesel and other fuel supply services must carry out their activities uninterruptedly.

The Central Bank of Bolivia - BCB, in coordination with the Supervisory Authority of the Financial System - ASFI and with the Financial Intermediation and Complementary Services Entities, will have the necessary mechanisms to guarantee the circulation of the national currency throughout the territory of the State, the circulation of vehicles of the Transporters of monetary material and values will be facilitated, to guarantee the permanent supply of cash in the Financial Intermediation Entities, as well as in the ATMs.

The massive use of electronic means of payment for the purchase of goods and services will be facilitated. For this purpose, the validity of the electronic signature in financial transactions is provided, without restrictions for the conclusion of financial contracts and remote purchases, through the use of security keys and passwords with the security measures established by the Financial Intermediation Entities.

The suspension of administrative procedural deadlines has been ordered, by Resolutions dated March 18 and 19, 2020, of all administrative appeals that are in the process of pending and pending resolution, in the different administrative instances dependent on this State Portfolio. and the suspension of administrative actions carried out by the Departmental and Regional Labor Headquarters: Reincorporation hearings, Hearings for payment of Social Benefits, Workplace Harassment and all other administrative action that merits the holding of hearings; also suspension of the procedural positions for the issuance of reports or definitive administrative acts, due to the Reinstatement and Harassment Procedure; as well as the visa deadline for foreign employment contracts and endorsement endorsements, clarifying that the payment of social benefits must be made within the period established in accordance with current regulations, and may be by transfer or other modality adopted by the employer for compliance with said payment during the validity of the Total Quarantine

Those entities that are carrying out exceptional activities according to the nature of their operation, must have the Certificate of authorization that contains the QR Code issued by the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Welfare, Social; having the same obligation to provide transportation to their staff from their home to the workplace and return, under their sole responsibility

It is prohibited that within the work personnel, personnel included within the group of health risk be hired.