Bolivian President: 53-day blockades could happen elsewhere, warns OAS

Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz warned that the country's recent 53-day highway blockades, which saw groups loyal to former President Evo Morales demand his resignation, could be replicated in other nations. Speaking after a meeting with an Organization of American States (OAS) mission in Santa Cruz, Paz highlighted the importance of democracy as a driver of development and dignity for Bolivians.

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what happened in Bolivia (53 days of blockade) can happen in other countries

He expressed gratitude for the OAS's support, framing it as a defense of hemispheric democracy, which he believes is threatened by international circumstances and institutional weaknesses. "Our hemispheric democracy is in danger due to international conjunctures," Paz stated, suggesting that the events in Bolivia could have repercussions elsewhere.

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I thank your support as a country, not as president, so that democracy prevails as a driver of development and the capacity of Bolivians to live with dignity in their nation, that is enough. We will do the rest.

The blockades, which occurred between April and June, paralyzed Bolivia, causing significant economic losses. Hospitals struggled to obtain oxygen, while food and medicine became scarce. Thousands of businesses halted operations, plunging millions into uncertainty. Gonzalo Morales Versalovic, president of the National Chamber of Industries (CNI), presented these consequences to the OAS mission, emphasizing that "for 53 days, Bolivia stopped functioning normally."

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Our hemispheric democracy is in danger due to international conjunctures.