Vicente Salazar Sentenced to Six‑Month Preventive Detention Over Bolivia Road Blockades

A Bolivian court ordered six months of preventive detention for peasant leader Vicente Salazar, the main organizer of the May‑June road blockades that demanded President Rodrigo Paz’s resignation. The court placed Salazar in the high‑security Chonchocoro prison, citing sufficient evidence for charges of public incitement to crime, criminal association, terrorism, and attacks on public services and transport.

The blockades, led by the La Paz farmers’ federation and the Central Obrera Boliviana (COB) with support from Evo Morales‑aligned groups, paralyzed the country for more than 50 days, causing food, fuel and medical‑oxygen shortages, at least 16 deaths (13 from lack of timely medical care), and economic losses estimated above $3 billion. President Paz declared a state of emergency on 20 June to end the protests.

Senator Tomasa Yarhui of Alianza Libre called for the Ministry of Public Prosecutors to investigate all who coordinated the blockades, noting the need for accountability and for safeguarding the nation’s democracy.