Did you know that half of the world’s lithium reserves are in Bolivia?  I discovered this little-known fact on the Radio 4 programme “From Our Own Correspondent”.

It may well be that Bolivia is sitting on a gold mine, with future technological developments requiring ever more lithium, there is talk of Bolivia having a similar role to play to that of Saudi Arabia in the oil industry.  The question is: will the country benefit as a whole?

This is not the first time that Bolivia has been the main supplier of a particular commodity – much of the world’s silver originally came from the cerro rico in Potosí.  It is said that during the time that Bolivia was a Spanish colony, enough silver was shipped back to Spain to build a bridge across the Atlantic Ocean!  The colonial powers literally depleted the country of a rich resource, even using slave labour to remove the silver from the mines.

In recent years there have been discussions about the way contracts with neighbouring countries or multi-national companies were negotiated – often benefiting a few but not the population as a whole.

So will it be different with lithium?  Are the salt flats of Uyuni in danger or being exploited?  And are the people of Bolivia in danger of losing another precious resource?

One of my favourite restaurants in Germany has moved, so this is a good opportunity to write about it.  For the past 10 years I have been going to “Restaurant Latinoamérica” in Budenheim, just outside of Mainz.  The restaurant has recently moved to Mainz-Finthen, where I visited it last week for the first time.

This family-run business offers specialities from Bolivia, that you are unlikely to find in many other restaurants in Germany.  And it is a family from Bolivia that cooks and serves it!  (I even met them once on a flight from Santa Cruz to Sucre).

One of our favourites has to be the Pique a lo Macho – spiced strips of beef with jalapeño slices, served on a bed of chips with salad.  Be aware that one of the spices is locoto – which can be very hot.

Another good dish is the Aji de Pollo, aji being another spice which is made of ground red peppers and in this dish it is a sauce that the pollo (chicken) resides in.  Pre-booked, even Salteñas can be ordered.

As a starter, we often have strips of deep-fried yuca, covered in melted cheese and served with a red dip called llajwa.

The restaurant also serves Bolivian wines, and a special type of schnaps called Singani, made from distilled grapes.

El Latino, Mainz-Finthen

The new address is: El Latino, Borngasse 59, 55126 Mainz-Finthen. If you are going there on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday evening, then it is advisable to book a table in advance.

Opening Times

Wed & Thu 6pm – 11pm
Fri & Sat 6pm – 12am
Sun 12pm – 2pm & 5pm – 10pm
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays

Telephone: +49 (0) 6131 / 6693550

P.S. Don’t forget to say that you read about it on AmigosDeSucre!

Yesterday (6th August) was Bolivia’s national holiday.  On this day, the President visits the constitutional capital – Sucre – and various organisations take part in a parade around the town square from where he traditionally waves to them from the balcony of one of the Government buildings.

Among those marching are the Scout Groups from Sucre, and 9 years ago I was lucky enough to take part in the parade with one of them.

Grupo Sagrado Corazón, Sucre (6th August, 2000)

This year the parade looks to have been slightly different.  The online newspaper La Razón has a report this morning containing a photo of the President himself walking around the square.  Was he leading the parade?  Is this a new idea?   Or did his predecessor do the same thing and I missed it because I was so far behind?

Walking at the head of the parade may well be a sign that he is leading the country with the people rather than from above them, and comes at a time when parts of the new constitution are coming into force.

The constitution not only allows President Morales to be re-elected in December, but is said to give more autonomy to indigenous communities.  This fact alone must create some difficult situations, as last year one region did try to hold a referendum on autonomy, only for this to be opposed by none other than Morales himself.

So is it one rule for indigenous communities, and another rule for the rest?  We will have to wait and see what difference the new constitution really does make.

Back to the national holiday, and I was hoping to see some photos of the event on the website of the local newspaper: Correo del Sur.  But for some reason, their website is down.  Not the best week for that to happen.  Anyone know why?

And whilst on the subject of photos, it is worth mentioning that at the end of the parade all of the Scout Groups get together for a District photo – something that takes some organising.  I am on the photo that was taken in the year 2000, and was promised a copy of it.  Unfortunately, I am still waiting for it.

I have never been to the Laguna Verde in Bolivia, and when I first heard about it I imagined something similar to El Golfo on Lanzarote.

But I was wrong.  It may have a similar background, with minerals from nearby volcanoes being responsible for the colour, whereas El Golfo is easily accessible for tourists, the Laguna Verde is in a part of Bolivia that is scarcely populated, it is much larger, and it is over 4,000m above sea level.

To reach it you will probably want to first travel to Uyuni, and then take a tour of the salt flats from there.