Bolivia Government Reaches Deal with Santa Cruz Protesters Amid State of Exception

The Bolivian government has successfully negotiated an agreement with demonstrators who had maintained road blockades in San Julián, Santa Cruz, for over a month. The breakthrough occurred shortly after midnight, leading to the removal of barricades that had disrupted transportation and commerce in the central-eastern region of the country.

The agreement was brokered amidst a state of exception, a measure declared by President Rodrigo Paz on Saturday, empowering the armed forces to support the police in clearing roads. Protesters secured commitments from the local government regarding improvements to road maintenance, electrification, healthcare, and education services. They also received assurances on access to water, attention to land conflicts, and the supply of diesel and gasoline, alongside the return of police presence to the area.

Following the announcement of the deal, the governor of Santa Cruz, Juan Pablo Velasco, confirmed the "immediate lifting of the blockade in San Julián." The Bolivian Road Administration (ABC) reported this development on social media. The capital, La Paz, began to see a gradual return to normalcy after the state of exception was enacted, following 51 days of protests. While some strategic routes remained subject to security operations, markets reopened, and circulation increased in La Paz and the neighboring city of El Alto.