SSIIM Paper Series Vol. 7
La inmigración en Bolivia, ¿fenómeno social inexistente o invisibilizado? el caso de los peruanos en La Paz y El Alto
by Mirko Marzadro
Immigration in Bolivia normally is not considered as an issue. The demographic and socio-economic impacts of immigration during the XX century is not comparable to those of internal migration nor to the emigration process. However this articles highlights how immigration in Bolivia is becoming a relevant issue too. The Paper analyses the Peruvian immigration at the urban level in La Paz and El Alto, cities where the majority of immigrants in Bolivia are living. The first section provides an overview on the development of the national immigration (and emigration) laws during the last century; previous research findings are shared and statistic data on immigration (with particular attention to the Peruvian one) are commented. The second chapter is dedicated to the mapping of Peruvian civil society organizations in the cities of La Paz and El Alto. The third one addresses emerging issues: the policies that are governing immigration in Bolivia (concerning access to work, education, heath, etc.) and the administrative procedures that immigrants uses to be legal in Bolivia. As a conclusion, the article shows how social integration is rather a dual and complex process.
