Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency in the entire territory of this Latin American country on Saturday. The decision comes after more than six weeks of protests and roadblocks, TASR reports, according to a report by AFP.
- Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz declared a national state of emergency following mass protests.
- Paz struck a deal with the main union confederation, ending the roadblocks.
- The country is facing the worst economic crisis in four decades.
Paz: Dialogue has more power than force alone
“After exhausting all options for dialogue, reaching agreements with those whose demands were legitimate, and after identifying those who used violence in an attempt to destabilize Bolivia, we decided to declare a state of emergency throughout the country’s territory,” Paz said in a televised speech.
The move came just hours after Paz struck a deal with the main union confederation on Friday, ending more than six weeks of road blockades and protests calling for his resignation.
“Dialogue has more power than force alone,” Paz said after signing the agreement, the details of which were not immediately known, according to the French agency. Union leader Mario Argollo declared that “as of this moment, coercive actions at the national level are being cancelled.”
Six weeks of protests
The central trade union confederation Central Obrera Boliviana (COB) launched the protests at the beginning of May by calling for road blockades at the entrance to larger Bolivian cities. Although the blockades eased on Monday, shortages of fuel, food and other basic necessities continued to persist in the country.
During the protests against President Paz, Bolivians demanded an end to US-backed economic reforms. Their purpose is to remove the legacy of 20 years of socialist regime. Bolivia is currently struggling in the worst economic crisis in the last four decades, writes AFP.
Earlier this week, people in La Paz were willing to wait in a three-block long line to buy discounted chicken at a state-run supermarket. The country is also plagued by a lack of medicine in hospitals, and long lines form in front of gas stations, where drivers often spend several days.
The main organizer of the protests is the former president
Despite the reduction in blockades and the agreement reached, some sectors are expected to continue their protests as they are not covered by Friday’s agreement.
Former head of state Evo Morales is considered the main organizer of the protests. His supporters and union leaders are demanding the resignation of Paz, who took office in November 2025.
His election victory ended an almost two-decade era of left-wing governments in Bolivia under Morales and his successor, Luis Arce. In an interview with AFP on Wednesday, Morales said that Bolivians took to the streets because Paz heads “a government that is completely subservient” to the United States.
