The International Court of Justice (ICJ), based in The Hague, has ruled on Monday in favor of Chile in the lawsuit filed by Bolivia in search of an exit to the sea. The president of the court, the Somali Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, has announced that Santiago has no obligation to negotiate with La Paz a sovereign access to the Pacific Ocean. Bolivia wanted to put an end to what it calls “dependence and logistic extra costs” in which it incurs to import and export its products through Chilean ports. But the judges, by 12 votes in favor and 3 against, have ruled that Santiago “is not legally bound to do so, because none of the agreements or treaties signed by both countries over the years so indicates; neither do other international resolutions indicate it, “said Yusuf.
