Bolivia Military Emergency as Rodrigo Paz Clears Blockades

PANGKALPINANG — Bolivia’s military emergency is hitting ordinary people first. President Rodrigo Paz has declared a 90-day national emergency and ordered the army to break road blockades that have paralyzed transport, food distribution, and fuel deliveries across the country.

The move raises the stakes sharply for a nation already under pressure. Grocery prices have surged, queues for gas and fuel have stretched for hours, and businesses are struggling to keep shelves stocked.

Military move in El Alto and La Paz

Shortly after the announcement, military convoys and bulldozers began moving toward the main blockade points. In El Alto, a satellite city and a major hub for demonstrations, heavy equipment was deployed to clear piles of rocks, wood, and debris blocking the highway.

Some residents welcomed the operation. Others did not.

Several people were seen clapping and handing water to officers patrolling under the hot sun. “Everything has become very difficult in El Alto for more than 50 days. We have had trouble working and cannot move freely,” said Carla Butron, a local vegetable seller, to AFP.

In La Paz, the administrative capital, police and armed military units were stationed around the presidential palace and the main square to prepare for possible clashes. The troop presence marks the highest escalation since political tensions flared after last year’s election.

Why the blockades are hurting the economy

The crisis is no longer just about blocked roads. It is threatening the survival of small and medium-sized businesses across Bolivia. The Bolivia Exporters Association says the economic losses from the road closures have already reached a staggering level.

Those numbers show how every day the blockade continues, Bolivia’s economic base weakens further. If the disruption goes on without a decisive response, annual inflation could climb to its highest level in two decades.

Negotiations run into a wall

The protests were triggered by opposition from left-wing groups to the liberal economic reforms backed by Rodrigo Paz. They want the president to step down, even though he was elected less than a year ago. Many analysts see that demand as an effort to undermine a legitimate government.

The government had already reached a peace deal with Bolivia’s largest labor union, the Bolivian Workers’ Central (COB). The agreement included a promise not to privatize state-owned companies that control essential public services. But Indigenous factions rejected the deal and stayed on the streets, setting up temporary tents along key intercity logistics routes.

“We want him to leave. We do not want him to lead this country anymore because his policies only benefit a small urban elite,” said Lidia Callisaya, an Aymara Indigenous leader met at a road barricade outside La Paz.

Morales accused of backing the unrest

Rodrigo Paz has accused criminal groups and loyalists of former president Evo Morales of fueling the unrest and road blockades. Morales, a powerful left-wing figure who led Bolivia from 2006 to 2019, still retains a loyal grassroots base.

Morales is reportedly in the Chapare region, his strongest political stronghold, to avoid a legal summons over allegations of child trafficking. He has strongly denied the accusation, calling it a purely political move aimed at blocking his future political ambitions.

Interior Minister Marco Antonio Oviedo said security forces would not hesitate to act firmly to uphold the law nationwide. “The law must be enforced without exception. Anyone who tries to divide the nation and damage the economy for personal gain will face action,” Oviedo said at an emergency news conference in La Paz.

Through his social media channels, Morales rejected the accusations and countered that Paz’s government is under the influence of foreign corporate interests. That power struggle is likely to keep Bolivia politically tense in the coming weeks.

For people on the ground, the next test is simple: whether the roads reopen soon enough for food, fuel, and daily life to move again.

Summary: Bolivia has declared a 90-day military emergency to clear road blockades. The operation is meant to restore supplies, but it has deepened political tensions and raised the risk of further unrest.