Bolivia approves public information access law

Update August 31, 2026: Bolivia’s Senate approved Bill No. 066/2025-2026 on Public Access to Information in detail and sent it to the Chamber of Deputies. The text changed the follow-up mechanism, now called the Observatory, and set a maximum 90-day deadline to issue implementing rules after publication in the Official Gazette.

Bolivia’s Senate approved Bill No. 066/2025-2026 on Public Access to Information in detail and sent it to the Chamber of Deputies for further review. The bill, promoted by Senator Soledad Chapetón, seeks to guarantee the full exercise of the right to public information and strengthen transparency in its creation, administration, and management.

What did the Bolivian Senate decide?

The Senate approved the bill and ordered it sent to Deputies, where it must first go through committee and then the plenary session. The vote closed consideration in the upper chamber and left the text ready for another legislative review.

During detailed debate, lawmakers made changes to the text. Among them, the body responsible for monitoring the law was renamed the Observatory, and a maximum 90-day deadline was added from publication in the Official Gazette to issue the corresponding regulations, according to Opinión.

Who does the bill cover?

The bill applies to state bodies, public institutions and entities, public companies, public universities, and other bodies that manage resources or provide public services. Red Uno reported that the central goal is to secure the right of access to public information and reinforce state transparency.

The approved version also reaffirms that information held by the state is public by default, unless exceptions are expressly set by law. It also recognizes that any person may request information without having to explain why, according to Opinión.

What happened in the legislative debate and with civil society groups?

The Senate debate moved forward with support from sectors linked to journalism and civil society organizations. El Día, Correo del Sur, and ERBOL reported that groups such as the National Press Association, Fundación Construir, the Citizen Platform for Access to Justice and Human Rights, the Human Rights Community, the National Association of Journalists of Bolivia, and the La Paz Journalists Association were closely following the process.

Those organizations described the approval as a step forward for citizens’ ability to oversee public administration, according to El Día. In October 2024, an earlier bill promoted by then-Senator Silvia Salame had been approved in the Senate and sent to the Plurinational Justice Commission in Deputies, although the process did not advance, according to the same outlet.

What is happening with personal data and cybersecurity bills?

In the public navigation of the Senate and Chamber of Deputies, no bill on cybersecurity, personal data protection, or regulatory compliance is clearly identified as being under parliamentary review as of August 23 and 26, 2026, respectively. The portals do show sections for bills under consideration and approved measures, but no such initiative is visible in that general view.

An analysis published in August 2026 by the blog Ciberseguridad Preventiva says Bolivia does not have a comprehensive personal data protection law and that privacy protection is handled mainly through the Privacy Protection Action set out in Articles 130 and 131 of the Constitution. The same approach appears in public statements from Entel executives in August 2026, who link a national cybersecurity agenda to the protection of constitutional rights, including the proper handling of personal data and information transmitted through cyberspace.

What is the status of personal data protection and privacy in Bolivia?

Bolivia does not have a comprehensive personal data protection law, and privacy protection is handled mainly through the Privacy Protection Action set out in Articles 130 and 131 of the Constitution. In the Parliament’s public navigation, no cybersecurity or personal data protection bill is clearly identified as under review.

That assessment was mentioned in August 2026 by the blog Ciberseguridad Preventiva, and it also appears in public statements from Entel executives, who tie a national cybersecurity agenda to the protection of constitutional rights. In that context, the legislative debate visible in the chambers remained focused on public access to information and state transparency.

Does Bolivia have a personal data protection bill under review?

Bolivia does not have a comprehensive personal data protection law, and in the Parliament’s public navigation no cybersecurity or personal data protection bill is clearly identified as under review. Privacy protection is handled mainly through the Privacy Protection Action set out in Articles 130 and 131 of the Constitution.

That assessment was mentioned in August 2026 by the blog Ciberseguridad Preventiva and also appears in public statements from Entel executives. In that context, the legislative debate visible in the chambers remained focused on public access to information and state transparency.