Case Study: Bolivian Government Consultation with the Guaraní Indigenous Peoples of Charagua Norte and Isoso

This year the Bolivian Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Energy (MHE) coordinated a highly successful consultation process around a proposed hydrocarbon exploration project in the indigenous territory of Charagua Norte and Isoso, located in the Santa Cruz region. Ultimately, the process resulted in a signed agreement between the Bolivian government and the Guaraní Peoples Assembly of Charagua Norte and Isoso (APG for the Spanish acronym) documenting community consent prior to the initiation of exploration activities by the Argentine company Pluspetrol. The consultation process reached a positive outcome thanks largely to the willingness of the MHE to respect the use of traditional Guarani institutions and systems.