Wilfredo Jordán is a blogger from La Paz.

We remember having access to the sea because it was a huge loss for us [when we lost it]. The territory that we lost had huge deposits of saltpetre, guano and copper, three resources that have played a huge role in allowing Chile to develop and become the economically strong country it is today. In the meantime, Bolivia remains the poorest country in South America.

The most significant consequences for us have been economic: we have to pay high transport fees to take our exports to the ports of Arica or Iquique, plus the ordinary port fees and taxes. Being landlocked seriously limits our trade possibilities.

For years Bolivia took the issue of the sea to the UN and elsewhere, but relations between the two countries have improved greatly in recent years. We still do not have formal diplomatic ties, but Bachelet and Morales set up an agenda of 13 points to discuss, one of which is Bolivia's claim to the sea.

Nothing has happened yet, but it's the first time that Chile has agreed to discuss the issue and that is already a step forward. However, I think our claim of sovereignty over the sea is very difficult and we might have to consider other possibilities. One that has been suggested is giving Bolivia access to a Chilean port where our government could decide on matters like taxes and shipping fees.

Almost 130 years have passed, but the issue is part of our identity. From a very young age we're taught that Bolivia was born as a country with an ocean and that we lost it. On March 23, when we celebrate the ‘Day of the Sea', children participate in plays and paint murals re-enacting the historical events. Through these acts, we do not allow ourselves to forget about the sea."

Jesus guiding a Bolivian marine, Lake Titicaca Naval Base mural. Image: Jim Lasbury on Flickr

Museum of the Bolivian Sea, La Paz. Image: Aldo Pena on Flickr