A large number of Bolivians were found in conditions of forced labor in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Spain, and the United States in sweatshops, factories, and agriculture.
A draft law submitted to Bolivia's Congress over the past year would enhance the government's ability to conduct thorough investigations and improve victims’ access to specialized services.
The majority of the government's anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts focused on the commercial sexual exploitation of children, and no charges were filed for labor trafficking offenses.
No criminal investigations or prosecutions of public officials allegedly involved with trafficking-related activity were initiated during the reporting period.
During the past year, law enforcement officials stationed along Bolivia's borders did not systematically attempt to identify victims of trafficking among emigrating Bolivians, though reports indicate hundreds of children leave the country under suspicious circumstances each month.
In addition to investigating and prosecuting cases, the anti-trafficking police unit in Santa Cruz provides trafficked individuals, along with victims of domestic violence, with medical assistance and shelter and is seen as a successful model of integrated care.
The government does not provide foreign trafficking victims with legal alternatives to deportation to countries where they may face hardship or retribution.
[2] The government sustained previous levels of prevention and public awareness efforts, largely in collaboration with international donors.