Bolivia eases rules on gold holdings as liquidity crunch bites

BOLIVIA’S central bank is easing its rules on national gold reserves, potentially allowing it to access more liquidity to pay for imports and address a crippling fuel shortage.

The resolution, issued by the board this week, allows the bank to report its gold holdings twice a year: on Nov 5 and May 5 By law, the institution must keep at least 22 tons of the metal, but the change could potentially allow it to drop below this level between the reporting dates. 

Bolivia needs “flexibility” in the management of its gold holdings in order to maintain “the normal functioning of international payments in the country”, according to the resolution posted on its website.

The bank did not say it if plans to sell some of its holdings in the short term, and did not immediately reply to a written request for comment. 

The bank reported 22.37 tons of gold holdings at the end of August, with a value of US$1.8 billion. 

Bolivia is undergoing an economic crisis as a shortage of foreign currency causes scarcity of fuel and other key goods as well as accelerating inflation.

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The crisis is being aggravated by clashes between supporters of President Luis Arce and former President Evo Morales.  BLOOMBERG