LA PAZ – Tens of thousands of Bolivians unfurled a “flag of maritime revindication,” which stretched for 200km (124 miles) along a highway in the Andes Saturday, to express support for the nation’s claim for access to the Pacific coast.
Bolivia is set to present legal arguments in the International Court of Justice in The Hague over its bid for a sea corridor, lost in a war with Chile in the 19th century.
Chile says there is nothing to negotiate and its sovereign borders are fixed through a treaty after the war.
The Bolivian government said the flag is the world’s biggest, and extended between the cities of La Paz and Oruro.
Muy emocionado por la generosidad y compromiso patriótico del pueblo. Agradezco de corazón a l@s miles de herman@s que unieron 196.5 km de la bandera de la Reivindicación Marítima, como símbolo histórico e insuperable de nuestra unidad para exigir #MarParaBolivia con soberanía. pic.twitter.com/lroYY5KASJ
— Evo Morales Ayma (@evoespueblo) March 11, 2018
The banner is made of blue cloth decorated with Bolivian national symbols and is about three meters wide.
The current borders were agreed after the 1879-1884 War of the Pacific. The conflict was the result of Chile’s border claims of coastal Bolivian territory.
Bolivian President Evo Morales said in October 2017 that Chile made a secret offer in 1975 to grant his country access to the Pacific Ocean through a 10km corridor.
Speaking at the flag’s unfurling he called it a “flag of maritime vindication”.
“We’ll show the International Court of Justice and all people on the planet that our cause is just, reasonable and sound,” Morales said after flying over the flag in a helicopter.
Muy emocionado por cómo nuestro pueblo ha llegado hasta la carretera, con banderas, unidos en familia, unidos por nuestra querida Bolivia. Algunos, incluso, han dormido en el camino. De pie, con dignidad y esperanza, nos unimos para decir al mundo #MarParaBolivia con soberanía. pic.twitter.com/g6cVeQAEIE
— Evo Morales Ayma (@evoespueblo) March 11, 2018
The Guinness World Records organization said they had no plans to certify whether the flag was indeed the world’s biggest.
The ICJ will start hearing the case on March 19.
