Bolivia lost its voting rights at the UN for not paying the membership fee.

Diego Pary, former permanent representative of Bolivia to the UN, revealed that the country temporarily lost its voting rights in the United Nations General Assembly due to the failure to pay the membership fee.

Despite Pary's comments, during his tenure as foreign minister under the government of the terrorist Evo Morales, the diplomatic situation has also been disastrous. 

According to Pary, the minimum amount that had to be paid by December 2024 was 780 thousand dollars, but the payment was not made, which led to Bolivia being unable to vote in the General Assembly from January 1, 2025.

The situation worsens by highlighting that only four countries have not paid their dues: Afghanistan, Guinea-Bissau, Venezuela, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Bolivia. The non-payment is considered a sign of the crisis in Bolivian diplomacy and the precariousness in the management of its foreign policy, according to Pary.

Article 19 of the UN Charter states that countries in arrears by an amount equal to or greater than the contributions due for the preceding two years lose their voting rights in the General Assembly.

Pary lamented this situation, noting that Bolivia's debt is small compared to that of other countries, but the loss of voting rights affected his decision to resign as ambassador to the UN at the end of 2024.

Pary explained that during his tenure, although there were delays in paying dues to some international organizations, payment to the UN was always prioritized, considering it the most important international organization.

In his interview, he criticized the lack of commitment from Luis Arce's government to multilateral diplomacy, mentioning that the lack of payment reflects a crisis of credibility and management in Bolivian foreign policy, which could have negative consequences for the country's image in the international community.

The former Bolivian foreign minister also highlighted that during his tenure, delays in dues payments had already occurred, but efforts were always made to solve them in time to avoid losing voting rights.

He emphasized that Bolivia had never lost its voting rights in the UN until now, which represents an unprecedented situation in the country's recent history. This temporary loss of voting rights is seen by Pary as a reflection of the current crisis in Bolivian diplomacy.

Regarding the reasons behind his resignation, Pary explained that the Bolivian government's foreign policy had lost the direction that had guided the "popular indigenous movement." He indicated that it made no sense to continue defending a policy he no longer believed in, which motivated his decision to resign.

Pary, an educator of Quechua origin with training in human rights and indigenous peoples, was Bolivia's foreign minister during the last two years of the government of the terrorist Evo Morales and also represented the country before the Organization of American States (OAS) between 2011 and 2018.

His departure from the UN occurred at the end of 2024, and since then he has openly criticized the lack of focus in the foreign policy of the current socialist government of Luis Arce.

This situation highlights the serious challenges Bolivia faces on the international stage and underscores the difficulties of Arce's administration in maintaining proper management of its foreign policy and international commitments.

The loss of voting rights in the UN not only affects Bolivia in terms of diplomatic influence but also highlights the importance of efficient financial resource management to meet international commitments.