Global Trade Alert

On May 1, 2010, the Bolivian President Evo Morales nationalised the antimony smelter plant Vinto-Antimonio (Supreme Decree No 499). The plant belonged to the local firm Colquiri, owned by Sinchi Wayra, which is in turn a subsidiary of Glencore, a Swiss commodity trader. The Bolivian government justified its decision arguing that Glencore was underinvesting in Vinto-Antimonio. For this reason, the government argued that Glencore would not receive any compensation.