Bolivia to secure borders with biometrics, using Cuban aid

Bolivia will use biometrics to increase security measures at its border crossings.

The Latin American country has inked an agreement with Cuba to establish a biometric system that will identify everyone who enters the country at an established port of entry.

According to government officials, a centralized biometric data registry will be created and used to check everyone entering Bolivia against a list of criminal convicts and suspects.

Bolivian President Evo Morales said in a statement that the problems the country has encountered along its borders means that Bolivia needs to consider the security problems around migration and exit and entry into the country.

Bolivia is one of the three largest producers of cocaine in the world, and the technology is meant to aid in reducing drug trafficking.

Morales said: “Technicians have told me that from now on people who enter the country will be registered and their movements inside Bolivia will be controlled. At this point it is not so hard to equip ourselves with technology, what is difficult is to change the mentality of those who operate it, that is what I am afraid of, unfortunately there are delinquents, narco-traffickers who sometimes take advantage of our borders.”

Cuban ambassador to Bolivia Rolando Gómez said it was “an honor” for Cuba to help Bolivia protect its borders. The Cuban firm, Development and Application of Technology and Systems (Datys) will put the technology in place.

Article Topics

access control  |  biometric database  |  biometrics  |  border control  |  criminal ID  |  government purchasing  |  immigration control  |  law enforcement