Bolivia taps global markets with $1 billion sovereign bond sale, economy minister says

Bolivia's Economy Minister Jose Gabriel Espinoza on Thursday said the country had raised $1 billion of "fresh capital" through a sovereign bond financing operation, marking its return to international markets after months of limited access.

The issuance drew five times more demand than what was initially proposed to raise, Espinoza said, with bids from 166 investors at a rate of 9.45%.

"For every dollar we wanted to sell in sovereign bonds, there was demand five times greater," Espinoza said in a press conference.

The five-year bonds will help Bolivia maintain a regular presence in capital markets and bolster its foreign currency buffers.

The successful sale represents a notable shift for Bolivia, which until recently faced constrained access to international financing markets amid investor concerns over reserves and fiscal pressures.

"Just six months ago it was practically impossible for Bolivia to even think about returning to the international markets," Espinoza said, adding that the country had now secured funding at rates comparable to peers with stronger credit profiles.

-Daniel Ramos/Reuters