Foreign direct investment has flowed into Bolivia at a faster rate than in any other Latin American country since the mid-1990s. In 1998, almost $900 million entered the country, equivalent to 10% of GDP. Bolivia accumulated about three-quarters of its stock of foreign investment during the 1990s. This process is largely the result of the capitalization program the government launched in 1994, allowing the creation of companies backed by foreign capital to explore for and develop natural resources, mainly oil, gas and water. Bolivia’s strategic aim is to become a major energy exporter to the region’s main economies. Shell, Enron, Total and Iberdrola have all invested in the country’s energy sector. However, free market policies have become unpopular, sparking street protests and the imposition of emergency rule.