Bolivian Minister for Hydrocarbons resigns after scuffles with Petrobras

La Paz (Reuters) – the Bolivian minister for hydrocarbons, Andres Soliz, presented on Friday his irrevocable resignation from the position, the day after strong pressure from Brazil forced La Paz to suspend a key resolution of the nationalization of hydrocarbons.

In his second and definite resignation, formalized via a letter to president Evo Morales that was distributed to the press by the minister, Soliz emphasized the advances of the decreed nationalization last May, but did not mention the scuffles with Petrobras, the company most affected by the new Bolivian petroleum policy.

“The nationalization impulsed in a decisive manner the process of recuperation of dignity and self esteem of our people that the neoliberal and racist policies attempted to squash in a definitive manner” he said in his resignation, which according to various polls was the minister with the highest popular support.

Soliz had signed last Wednesday a resolution handing over to the state petroleum company, YPFB, full control of the internal market for petroleum and liquefied gas, decreasing the control Petrobras had unitl now over the refining.

Translated from Reuters