In brief
Bolivia has entered a period of emergency as President Rodrigo Paz announced measures to dismantle road blockades that have paralyzed commerce and essential services. The declaration follows months of agitation from miners, farmers, and indigenous groups, who accuse the government of imposing harsher economic reforms and cutting fuel subsidies. While the president vows to restore normalcy and has already reached a deal with the Bolivian Workers' Confederation, many activists insist protests will continue. Congress must decide on the move within 72 hours. The unrest, marking the longest national strike in Bolivia, presents a dangerous test for the country’s democratic institutions.
Bolivia has entered a period of emergency after President Rodrigo Paz announced a crackdown on road blockades that have cut off supplies across the country. The declaration gives the government broader powers to remove blockades and restore traffic flow, which the president says is essential for economic stability and public safety.
Protests began at the end of April over a proposed land‑reform that critics said would allow large landowners to acquire small farms more easily. The government later cancelled the reform, yet farmers and other groups have taken to the streets demanding re‑introduction of fuel subsidies, repeal of austerity measures and a halt to constitutional changes that could undermine resource oversight.
The strikes have claimed several lives, surrounded major cities with road blocks and led to hundreds of arrests. Despite the president’s efforts to calm the situation—shuffling cabinet members, slashing salaries and negotiating with unions—a wave of dissent remains stubbornly resilient.
Paz has accused former left‑wing president Evo Morales of orchestrating the protests, a claim Morales has denied. Congress recently passed a bill easing the declaration of emergency and permitting troops to quell unrest, a move that many see as strengthening executive power amid a fragile democratic landscape.
The president’s latest measure must be approved or rejected within 72 hours, leaving the country at a tipping point. The world watches closely as Bolivia balances security, civil rights and democratic guarantees in a tumultuous month of protests.
