Bolivia’s government is considering a State of Exception as nationwide protests and roadblocks deepen a political crisis involving President Rodrigo Paz and former leader Evo Morales.
Government weighs expanded military powers while roadblocks and political tensions continue across the country.
Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz is considering declaring a State of Exception as his government seeks to confront a wave of roadblocks organized by peasant groups and trade unions that have fueled more than a month of nationwide protests.
The proposed measure would broaden the role of the Armed Forces in addressing the demonstrations. It follows Senate approval of legislation that remains pending in the Chamber of Deputies. If ratified, the measure would grant a presumption of legality to military actions and place political responsibility for such operations on the government.
Paz reviewed security operations alongside Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano and renewed his appeal for dialogue. “What Bolivia needs is dialogue and not confrontation,” the president said.
The government has also intensified actions against social leaders linked to the protests, according to the report. Paz has urged demonstrators not to trust former president Evo Morales, whom he accuses of backing the mobilizations.
Text Reads: 📌 Bolivia: Government announces measures in response to sectoral protests 🔴 Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz announced pressure measures to halt the sectoral protests that have been ongoing for over four weeks. Social movements continue to demand the resignation of the leader, reflecting deep social discontent.
The president alleges that Morales has financed the protests with resources derived from drug trafficking in an attempt to evade ongoing legal proceedings, including an arrest warrant related to human trafficking accusations.
“He is using the people as a ladder to defend himself from his judicial problems,” Paz said.
The political dispute has unfolded amid nearly one hundred roadblocks reported across the country, including in Cochabamba, Oruro and Potosí. The disruptions have affected transportation and supply routes in several regions.
Internationally, the United States reaffirmed its support for Paz. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wrote on social media platform X that “Bolivia must not allow the old status quo of narco-terrorist domination in the region to return.”
The regional alliance Shield of the Americas also condemned what it described as ongoing attempts to overthrow the Bolivian government, aligning its position with that of Washington regarding the current crisis.
Morales rejected the accusations and criticized foreign support for the government. In a post on X, he warned that references to “narco-terrorism” were being used to discredit social mobilization and legitimate political demands.
“Now they once again resort to the discourse of ‘narco-terrorism’ to stigmatize social protest and discredit the legitimate demands of those who defend democracy, sovereignty and our natural resources,” Morales wrote.
On Friday, police and military forces reopened a strategic route supplying the cities of La Paz and El Alto. Supported by heavy machinery and riot-control equipment, the operation restored the movement of food from the agricultural areas of Lipari and Río Abajo.
The route had been blocked during weeks of demonstrations, contributing to shortages that forced many residents to travel on foot in search of essential goods. Authorities presented the reopening as a key step toward restoring supplies while protests continue in several parts of the country.
Author: MK
Source: Agencies
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