The Peter Zeihan Podcast Series The Future of Bolivian Lithium || Peter Zeihan
Nov 2, 2025
Bolivia is facing a significant political reshuffle that could reshape its mineral wealth, particularly in lithium. The history of Evo Morales and his low-grade populism has stunted foreign investment. Bolivia's geography features a unique east-west divide that affects settlement and resource extraction. Despite being rich in lithium resources, legal and political barriers hamper production. With neighboring countries advancing, the potential for a more market-friendly government raises questions about unlocking Bolivia's lithium future amid shifting global demand.
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Long Run Of Populist Mismanagement
- Bolivia has long been governed by populist socialist leaders who left the country poorer than before their terms.
- Two decades of such governments kept Bolivia functionally the poorest major state in Latin America.
Geography Shapes Bolivia's Population
- Bolivia is geographically split: lowland agro-east and highland indigenous west, shaping distinct economies and populations.
- The highlands house two-thirds of the population and many of the country's political and social dynamics.
Highland Biology Shaped Settlement
- Indigenous communities populated highlands where locals could reproduce at 12,000 feet while Europeans could not.
- This biological difference helped shape Bolivia's distinctive settlement and demographic patterns.