Bolivia President Paz Relocates Government to Sucre Amid Protests

President Rodrigo Paz moved the Bolivian government from La Paz to the constitutional capital of Sucre after protesters surrounded the executive compound on May 25. Demonstrators have been blockading roads for five weeks, creating more than 80 congestion points and halting about 5,000 cargo trucks, which analysts estimate costs the economy roughly $50 million each day.

The unrest stems from a package of neoliberal measures – privatization of agricultural land, removal of fuel subsidies and postponed wage hikes – that opposition groups say threaten livelihoods and communal land rights. Trade unions, teachers, and farmer organizations have joined the protests, demanding Paz’s resignation. The crisis has also raised health concerns, with observers warning of an impending sanitary catastrophe. Negotiations to resolve the standoff were cancelled on May 31, further deepening the stalemate.