In Bolivia, President Rodrigo Paz is confronted with escalating protests and road blockades six months after taking office.
May 18, 2026, 07:08May 18, 2026, 07:08
The roadblocks by demonstrators around the capital La Paz, which have been going on for two weeks, are now leading to a shortage of food and fuel in the metropolis.
There have been major protests in Bolivia for two weeks.Image: keystone
In addition to miners, farmers and teachers, supporters of former head of state Evo Morales are also taking part in the protests in the South American country. Some groups are protesting the rising cost of living and demanding wage increases, while others want the president to resign. The country has been in a deep economic crisis for years, which has repeatedly triggered protests.
Washington criticizes alleged attempt at destabilization
President Paz has been in office since November. He belongs to the Christian Democratic party Partido Demócrata Cristiano, which is assigned to the political center. His election victory marked the end of a nearly two-decade era of left-wing governments in Bolivia, which had long been marked by a power struggle between Morales and his equally left-wing successor Luis Arce.
The US State Department condemned in an X-Post “all actions aimed at destabilizing the democratically elected government of Rodrigo Paz.” Eight conservative governments in Latin America also condemned any attempt to undermine the democratic order in Bolivia in a joint statement.
President Paz’s government calls for dialogue
“We are ready to exhaust all opportunities for dialogue,” said Minister in the Presidential Office, José Luis Lupo, on Sunday (local time) before talks with some of the protesting groups. Violence and intolerance would only bring more problems. According to the Bolivian Ombudsman’s Office, at least 47 people have been arrested and five injured as part of the protests.
According to a report in the newspaper “El Deber”, at least 15 road blockades were in place in the La Paz department on Sunday. According to the local chamber of commerce, the economic losses caused by the protests have already reached $500 million (around €430 million). (sda/dpa)