Bolivian President Proposes Law to Empower Military in Clearing Roadblocks

Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz announced Wednesday the submission of a bill to Congress that would grant the Armed Forces greater operational authority to clear road blockades under a state of exception. The proposed legislation seeks to enable direct military intervention to disperse protests and road blockades that have intensified demands for the president's resignation.

Paz faces a month-long national strike, led by campesino, labor, mining, transport, and teacher organizations. These protests, initially focused on the country's severe economic crisis, have evolved into a unified demand for Paz's immediate departure from office.

Following the surprise resignation of the Defense Minister, Paz confirmed that he is considering a short-term state of siege due to deepening shortages. The new legal framework aims to strengthen the legal protection for military personnel during deployments, justifying future actions under the guise of "humanitarian" intervention to restore free transit. The reasons for the previous minister's departure were not detailed.

The executive branch's legal offensive is bolstered by a recent congressional decision that removed the requirement for presidential approval before declaring a state of exception. This allows Paz to unilaterally restrict civil liberties related to assembly and movement, providing a legal basis to dismantle protester gatherings. The new Defense Minister, Ernesto Justiniano, stated that the immediate task is to restore normalcy, emphasizing that dialogue remains open but cannot be held hostage by those refusing to engage.

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The immediate task is to recover normality. Dialogue is always open, but those who refuse to dialogue cannot paralyze the country.