Bolivia Declares State of Emergency Amid Protests Over Austerity Measures

President Rodrigo Paz has declared a state of emergency in Bolivia to address severe road blockades impacting fuel and food supplies across the country. This decision followed a series of protests over five weeks, demanding his resignation due to austerity measures, including the elimination of fuel subsidies.

The protests have led to violent clashes between demonstrators, armed with dynamite, and riot police, resulting in 365 arrests and 37 injuries. Tragically, 17 people have died, many due to the inability to access medical care as the blockades have disrupted transportation to hospitals.

La Paz, Bolivia’s capital, has been particularly affected by the blockades, causing shortages of fuel and food. The road barriers have isolated the city, contributing to deaths and hindering emergency medical services.

The state of emergency aims to restore freedom and ensure the availability of essential supplies, according to President Paz’s televised address.

Amid the protests, businesses have closed, supermarket shelves have emptied, and hospitals have faced oxygen shortages. Despite signing an agreement with a labor union to lift blockades, demands for Paz’s resignation persist among protesters.

The emergency decree prohibits obstructing streets and roads, tasking the military with assisting police in restoring order and reopening routes. It does not restrict constitutional rights or daily activities, and is set to last 90 days unless lifted earlier due to reduced violence.

President Paz took office in November, ending two decades of leadership by Bolivia’s Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party. He inherited the country’s worst economic crisis in generations and has come under pressure due to austerity measures and policy implementation issues.

Protests have been led by Indigenous and worker groups, previously supportive of MAS, accusing the government of neglect. Paz faces demands from the political left and right, including former President Evo Morales, who has called for new elections.

The U.S. administration supports Paz, offering emergency assistance and logistics operations to alleviate the shortages. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth condemned the protests, labeling them as efforts to destabilize Bolivia’s legitimate government.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently informed President Paz of increased U.S. support amid these challenges.

Report by Isabel Debre, with coverage from Buenos Aires.