Bolivia faces near‑half of population in income poverty as inflation fuels food price crisis

A study by Fundación Jubileo, adjusting official poverty figures for inflation, estimates that income poverty in Bolivia could climb from 37.7% to 47% of the population—about six million people. Analyst Carla Cordero said, “Estamos hablando de que uno de cada dos bolivianos en nuestro país es pobre por ingreso.”

The Defensoría del Pueblo reported that 63% of households can no longer afford a basic food basket, with price spikes of 200‑300% for essentials during recent blockades. “Hay un ascenso sostenido del alza de los precios que incide permanentemente en la economía de los hogares bolivianos,” noted Defensoría head Pedro Callisaya.

National inflation reached 4.82% in the first half of 2026, driven largely by food and transport costs, and intensified by seven weeks of road blockades that caused shortages and an estimated economic loss exceeding $3 billion (about 5% of GDP). The protests, led initially by the Federación de Campesinos de La Paz Túpac Katari, highlighted the widening gap between wages and the rising cost of living.