Brazilian Drug Gangs Expand Violence into Bolivian Border Towns

Brazilian criminal factions are expanding their operations into Bolivia, leading to a surge in violence and insecurity in border towns such as Guayaramerín. According to the Bolivian government, the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) are fighting for control of cocaine trafficking corridors leading to the Atlantic. Local residents report a rise in armed robberies, kidnappings, and high profile murders, including a recent incident where a foreign national was shot over 80 times in a central plaza. Data from the Ministry of Government shows that 774 homicides were reported across the country between January and September 2025, compared to 325 during the same period the previous year. President Rodrigo Paz, who leads a center right government, has attributed the rise in crime to the policies of his socialist predecessors. In response, Paz has launched a security plan to increase police presence at the borders and improve intelligence sharing with Brazil. While some residents welcome a proposed bridge to Brazil for its economic potential, others fear it will make it easier for gangs to move. A center lean source frames the situation as a breakdown of a previous mafioso peace and a failure of state control, while a center left source emphasizes the growing fear within remote Amazonian villages.