As satellite internet rapidly expands across Latin America, Bolivia has emerged as a notable exception. Despite having some of the region’s slowest internet speeds and vast rural areas with little to no coverage, the country has so far refused to grant operating rights to Elon Musk’s Starlink. While the service is up and running in neighbouring countries such as Brazil, Chile, and Peru, Bolivia has chosen a different path: one that officials argue is about protecting sovereignty and local infrastructure.

According to The New York Times, Bolivia is now one of the few remaining Latin American nations where the flamboyant billionaire's satellite internet provider has no legal presence.

Bolivia’s digital infrastructure remains underdeveloped, especially outside urban centres. As reported by the International Telecommunication Union, only about 56% of households have access to fixed broadband, with fibre optic available only in a few large cities. Over 90% of internet use occurs through mobile networks, yet high-speed mobile coverage reaches only about 10% of the national territory.

“In the Amazon, there’s no signal—people use walkie-talkies to communicate,” said geographer Patricia Llanos in an interview with The New York Times. “Even though we have a satellite in space, we still don’t have a way to connect.”

Launched in 2013, Bolivia’s only telecommunications satellite, Túpac Katari 1, was financed largely through a loan from China’s Development Bank and built by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. While it remains functional, its limitations are becoming more visible as satellite internet evolves globally.

Although Starlink is not authorised in Bolivia, it is far from absent. As detailed by Rest of World, thousands of users have begun acquiring Starlink kits through informal channels. These kits are either smuggled in from neighbouring countries or purchased online via intermediaries who offer delivery services from Chile and Peru.

One of them is Ricardo Guillén, a Bolivian content creator who purchased a Starlink terminal from a Peruvian seller. He told Rest of World that he estimates “around 10,000 kits” are already in use across Bolivia. He also claimed that users have formed Telegram groups to coordinate access and share updates on connectivity.

The grey market for Starlink has been expanding despite the legal risks. Because Bolivia is not an officially supported territory, SpaceX could shut down the service at any time. In practice, however, many users take advantage of the roaming capabilities in their kits, which allow for temporary connectivity even in countries where Starlink is not formally licensed.

Bolivian officials argue that admitting Starlink under its current model would undermine national regulatory frameworks. Iván Zambrana, director of the Bolivian Space Agency (ABE), told The New York Times that “it would be suicide to let them in without regulation.” According to Zambrana, Starlink’s technological edge would allow it to dominate the market quickly, pushing out local operators and weakening the state’s capacity to manage its digital infrastructure.

The impasse appears to have originated during negotiations in 2023, when SpaceX allegedly refused to accept Bolivia’s conditions for local partnerships and oversight. Zambrana stated that SpaceX wanted to sell directly to Bolivian users, bypassing national authorities—a proposition the government viewed as unacceptable.

Officials have also expressed concern over market concentration and foreign control. “We are not closed to foreign companies,” Zambrana said, “but they must comply with our laws and compete on equal terms.”

Some analysts argue that Bolivia’s resistance to Starlink may also reflect its longstanding geopolitical alignment with China. The Túpac Katari 1 satellite was not only financed and built by Chinese firms, but has also been framed as a symbol of Bolivia’s technological independence.

President Luis Arce’s government continues to strengthen ties with Beijing. According to The New York Times, Bolivia is currently in talks with Chinese company SpaceSail, which is planning to deploy its own low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network across Latin America. Government officials have also acknowledged preliminary discussions with other providers such as Amazon’s Project Kuiper and Canada’s Telesat.

These talks suggest that Bolivia may be exploring a multi-operator solution for future satellite connectivity, though no clear roadmap has been made public.

Even as the South American nation champions self-reliance, Túpac Katari 1 is approaching the end of its useful life. Engineers estimate that the satellite will run out of fuel between 2028 and 2030, according to statements cited by Rest of World. Although still operational, the satellite’s capacity is limited, especially compared to LEO alternatives like Starlink, which offer significantly lower latency and higher speeds.

Installation of supporting ground infrastructure remains costly. In many areas, small communities cannot afford the dishes and antennas needed to access Túpac Katari 1’s signal. In contrast, Starlink’s plug-and-play kits, although expensive by local standards, offer easier setup and broader reach.

Meanwhile, domestic pressure is mounting. Independent lawmaker Mariela Baldivieso has publicly demanded the legalisation of Starlink in Bolivia, calling internet access a fundamental right. She told Rest of World that her formal inquiries to the telecommunications authority (ATT) have gone unanswered.

Public sentiment is also shifting. In January 2025, US-based YouTuber IShowSpeed attempted to livestream from Santa Cruz, Bolivia’s largest city. The stream repeatedly glitched and eventually failed. Visibly frustrated, he told his 35mn subscribers: “There’s no internet in Bolivia.”

This kind of public embarrassment has amplified calls for digital reform. Yet the government maintains that it is not against Starlink per se, but rather wants all providers—foreign or domestic—to comply with national standards and protocols.

On its official coverage map, Starlink still lists Bolivia as “Coming in 2025.” Whether that timeline reflects renewed negotiations or mere placeholder optimism remains to be seen. Bolivian officials insist they remain open to partnerships, but only under conditions that reinforce state oversight and preserve regulatory sovereignty.