Bolivia's Paz Declares State of Emergency Over Blockades

Bolivia's President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency Saturday, citing over six weeks of disruptive road blockades and protests demanding his resignation. The president framed the move as a necessary step to restore freedom and protect citizens from political conflict that paralyzes the nation.

Paz described the situation as an organized attempt to destabilize democracy, emphasizing that the decision followed the exhaustion of all dialogue options. The declaration came shortly after he announced a deal with the Bolivian Workers' Confederation (COB), a major trade union.

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This is not a state of emergency to restrict people's lives ... It is a state of emergency to give freedom back to the people, to free Bolivia from those who use political conflict to block roads and harm the population.

The crisis erupted in May when Paz eliminated long-standing fuel subsidies, causing gas prices to surge. This sparked widespread anti-government protests, escalating into roadblocks on key national routes that choked access to major cities like La Paz and El Alto. Demonstrators, including labor unions and supporters of former President Evo Morales, oppose Paz's economic reforms, demanding wage increases, an end to austerity measures, and Paz's departure.

Paz, who ended nearly two decades of socialist rule with his election victory in November 2025, has been in office for only seven months. He took power promising to address Bolivia's most severe economic crisis in four decades.

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after exhausting all avenues of dialogue.