The Bolivian government has cancelled a joint partnership with Germany’s privately owned ACI Systems Alemania (ACISA) to develop a massive lithium project.
Residents in the city of Potosi, where the joint venture had planned to build a factory for electric vehicle batteries and a lithium hydroxide plant, have been protesting since early October against the project. Organized by the Potosi Civic Committee, protesters say the project would not benefit local communities.
Potosi Department Governor Carlos Cejas said Sunday he had received a decree from the government of President Evo Morales to overturn a previous decree permitting the project, Bolivian state news agency ABI reported.
ACISA did not immediately comment on the news. No reason was provided for the decision, but Cejas accused “agitators” from inside and outside the state of undermining development in the region.
It comes as Morales is facing deadly unrest and calls for a new election after he was named winner of the October 20 election for a fourth term. Ahead of the election, Morales had blamed the opposition for organizing the protests against the lithium project to undermine his government.
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