Bolivia President Rodrigo Paz declares state of exception amid nationwide blockades

President Rodrigo Paz Pereira declared a state of exception in Bolivia on the night of 20 June 2026, invoking Law 1740 that regulates emergency powers. The decree followed a prolonged cabinet meeting and negotiations that produced an agreement with the Central Workers’ Union (COB) but left the Tupac Katari peasant federation excluded.

The state of exception allows the decree to be reviewed by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly within 72 hours and permits the armed forces to assist police when public safety is threatened. It comes after roughly fifty days of blockades and mobilisations that disrupted transport and created a security crisis across the country.

The Federation of Peasant Workers Túpac Katari and the Bartolina Sisa women’s federation announced a "fourth interim" pause in their actions, saying the pause is to protect the safety of members in the 20 provinces until the government’s measures are analysed. They condemned the COB‑government agreement as reached without consultation, describing it as a betrayal.