Former Bolivian President Morales Orders Temporary End to Nationwide Blockades

Former Bolivian President Evo Morales announced Monday that the final blockades paralyzing traffic across the country for weeks will be temporarily lifted. Morales described the move as a "temporary pause" rather than a surrender, speaking after a meeting with coca farmers' leaders in the central department of Cochabamba, one of his former strongholds.

The decision comes as Bolivia's current president, Rodrigo Paz, and the country's largest trade union confederation agreed on Friday to end more than six weeks of widespread demonstrations. The protests initially began in early May with demands for wage increases, greater economic stability, and an end to the privatization of state-owned companies. However, the demonstrations later escalated into calls for the resignation of Paz, who assumed power in late 2025 after over two decades of socialist rule.

Roads connecting key production areas had been controlled by organizations linked to Morales, whom the current Bolivian government has accused of instigating the unrest. According to AFP, authorities reported that nine blockades remained in place on Monday, a significant decrease from the 50 reported on Sunday and the approximately 100 that were in place previously.

The announcement follows a statement from Bolivia's Interior Minister, Marco Antonio Oviedo, indicating that security forces would move into Cochabamba. The blockades have significantly impacted the cost of living, making it difficult to transport food and medicine into major cities like La Paz. With the reopening of most blocked roads, a shortage of food supplies has begun to ease, according to AFP.

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For now, it is a temporary pause. It is not a surrender.