Bolivia Works to Restore Transit Following State of Emergency Decree

LA PAZ, Bolivia — Efforts to clear anti-government roadblocks that isolated the capital, La Paz, and other primary urban centers continued through Sunday. This follows President Rodrigo Paz’s declaration of a state of emergency, a move that was subsequently ratified by a landslide vote in parliament.

Tragedy struck on Sunday when a light aircraft crashed while conducting aerial surveillance of a blockaded highway, killing six people, including members of the Bolivian Air Force. The aircraft had been monitoring critical transit routes connecting La Paz and Cochabamba. The Air Force has since established an investigative board to determine the cause of the crash.

While most blockades across the nation have been lifted, disruptions persist in sections of the Cochabamba region. These protests are led by coca growers’ unions aligned with former President Evo Morales (2006-2019). Presidential spokesman José Luis Gálvez stated that the administration believes Morales is fueling the unrest to destabilize the current government.

Since 2024, Morales has remained in his stronghold in the Chapare region, refusing to appear in court. Government officials allege that Morales is instigating and financing the demonstrations to avoid legal accountability in a judicial investigation involving the alleged abuse of a minor during his presidency.

Security forces, which began clearing highways on Saturday, have avoided entering the Chapare region, where blockades remained active on Sunday. Authorities and police report that coca growers’ unions maintain control over this area, which is also known for the activity of criminal groups linked to drug trafficking.

However, a significant rural union involved in the blockades that paralyzed La Paz on Saturday has called for a temporary ceasefire, ordering protesters to withdraw until next week to evaluate the situation following the emergency decree.

The unrest left hundreds of trucks stranded on major highways, though drivers began returning home on Saturday. Business organizations estimate economic losses exceeding $2 billion. The blockades led to critical shortages of food and fuel, exacerbating Bolivia’s most severe economic crisis in forty years and hindering the country’s fragile recovery.

The state of emergency is scheduled to last 90 days, though the government noted in a Saturday statement that the decree could be lifted sooner if violence and threats against the public cease.

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