Bolivia intends to recover access to the Pacific Ocean which it lost to Chile in the 1879-1883 war.
Tens of thousands of Bolivians held a nearly 200-km long bright blue flag on Saturday in a show of support for their landlocked country’s demand that it be given a sovereign access to the sea.
The so-called “flag of maritime revindication” stretched like a long blue ribbon between the towns Oruro and Apacheta, on the outskirts of capital La Paz.
The display of patriotism comes just days before Bolivia is due to present its case for sovereign access to Chile’s Pacific coast at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
In September 2015, the ICJ agrered to respond to Bolivia’s request, based on article 31 of the Pact of Bogota. The two nations will meet to evaluate the proposal during an oral discussion in The Hague March 19 to 28.
Bolivia wants to regain access to the sea, which it lost to Chile in a late 19th-century war. The country, which maintains a navy, wants a corridor to the sea to boost its exports of natural gas and minerals.
