Bolivia President Rodrigo Paz Announces $3 bn Tarija Investment, Says State of Exception Cleared Blockades

President Rodrigo Paz announced a government investment of around three billion bolivianos in the Tarija region over the next year and a half. The plan includes a wastewater‑treatment plant costing about 65 million dollars, a major irrigation‑pipeline expansion valued at more than 600 million bolivianos, reconstruction of the Tarija airport runway, and the prioritisation of the Aguarague tunnel project linking Tarija and Yacuiba.

Paz also highlighted that the state of exception declared to end road blockades succeeded without any fatalities caused by security forces. He noted that the blockade‑related deaths, totaling 22, occurred due to the closures themselves, not the operation. The president said the measure received backing from Mercosur presidents and restored traffic on key routes within a few days.

The announcements were made during a ceremony marking Tarija’s 452nd anniversary, where Paz pledged continued dialogue with regional authorities to channel resources and fiscal autonomy to the departments.