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Original article: A Rodrigo Paz le estalla la “narcomadera”: su propio vicepresidente apunta al entorno del Gobierno boliviano por 108 toneladas de droga

The political crisis in Bolivia reached a boiling point when Vice President Édman Lara, previously an ally of President Rodrigo Paz, launched a series of accusations directly linking high-ranking government officials to international drug trafficking. In a video shared on social media, he detailed a scheme dubbed “narcomadera”, involving the seizure of 108 tons of high-purity drugs cleverly disguised in wood shipments at Chilean ports, worth an estimated $8.3 billion in illicit markets.

The magnitude of this operation, uncovered by Chilean police intelligence, places Bolivia at the center of an international scandal. Lara emphasized that the value of the seized goods represents nearly 10 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product. Beyond this shocking figure, the vice president targeted the core of the Executive Power, questioning the complicity or negligence of authorities in charge of security and foreign trade.

According to the Chilean Public Ministry, the first shipment of this “narcomadera” dates back to January 13, 2026, with the last recorded on April 19.

In his statements, Lara laid out a series of connections that he believes reveal a protection network for drug trafficking from the highest levels.

“Doubts are growing about possible protection of drug trafficking from the highest echelons of power. The Constitution mandates that the Minister of Government must ensure internal security and lead the fight against narcotics. However, the narcomadera case exposed the exit of 108 tons of high-purity drugs in 49 shipments that evaded the checks of Customs, the Special Force for the Fight Against Drug Trafficking (Felcn), the Bolivian Highway Administration (ABT), and the National Service for Agricultural Health and Food Safety (Senasag).”

The vice president pointed out that the manager of the shipping company linked to the wood shipment is the wife of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade, Rodrigo Arce, while the executive manager of the Port Services Administration is said to be the partner of the Minister of Government, Marco Antonio Oviedo.

These relationships, according to Lara, turn the strategic areas of foreign trade and state control into accomplices in the illicit business, a claim that shakes the foundations of Paz’s government.

Did the Presence of the DEA Really Contribute to Combating Drug Trafficking Networks?

In light of the seriousness of the allegations, the vice president criticized the strategy of the Ministry of Government, which has promoted joining the program “Shield of the Americas” and the return of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a solution to the crisis.

“Did the presence of the DEA really contribute to combating these networks, or has it coincided with some of the largest drug shipments in the country?”, he asserted, suggesting that international cooperation has not been effective and that scandals continue to multiply under Paz’s administration.

Lara’s announcement, which openly opposes the Executive Branch, highlights a fracture of the alliance that brought Rodrigo Paz to the presidency in 2025. By accusing his administration of favoring the agro-industrial oligarchy and neglecting the demands of workers, farmers, and indigenous peoples, he pointed to Prensa Latina.

The Bolivian vice president not only denounced a crime but also leveraged internal discontent to distance himself from the right-leaning president, who faces a popular revolt marked by massive multi-sector protests and blockades of major roads.

The 108 tons of drugs, far from being a mere shipment, have sparked the most acute crisis faced by Paz, with a vice president now positioning himself as the chief accuser of his own cabinet.

Seven months after taking office, the government of Rodrigo Paz stands at a crossroads that could define its political future. Lara’s statements are not just simple criticisms, as they call into question the legitimacy and capacity of the Executive to govern.

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