Chile and Bolivia have taken their century-old territorial dispute to the International Court of Justice. Whether they can work out their differences remains to be seen, however.
To the victors go the spoils: In the 19th-century War of the Pacific, Chile bested its two foes, grabbing territory from both Peru and Bolivia. The defeat stung Lima but devastated La Paz, as Bolivia lost its access to the sea . Ever since, Bolivia has pursued an irredentist agenda, demanding that it receive back its irreplaceable portal to the world. From time to time over the past century, Santiago and La Paz have sought to iron out their differences amid some of the worst ties anywhere in Latin America. Now, however, a breakthrough could be on the way. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague is expected to issue a ruling on the matter by the end of the year after hearing the countries' final arguments on the dispute last month.
