Bolivia lodge their protest against filming in Chile, both sides complain

05-Apr-2008 • Quantum Of Solace

Turns out the Bolivian government isn't that pleased either with the new James Bond flick, Quantum of Solace, which was being filmed in northern Chile - reports LA Times Blog.

Some Chileans are already irate because its national territory was supposedly used to represent the turf of long-time rival Bolivia.

Now, reports the Bolivian daily La Razon, a Bolivian official has written a letter to the film's producers, citing an alleged "stigmatization of Bolivians'' in the film. The vice-minister of culture, Pablo Groux, is firstly peeved that Chile was used to represent Bolivia. The two countries haven't gotten over a 19th century war. But the vice minister was also upset at news that Bolivian drug traffickers are depicted in the film. Bolivia is the world's third-largest producer of coca-leaf, the raw material in cocaine.

"This stigma shouldn't characterized Bolivians,'' wrote Groux, "not even in the fictional context of Bond.''

Thanks to `Q` for the alert.