Bolivia President Rodrigo Paz urges dialogue as nationwide road blockades grip the country

President Rodrigo Paz appealed to social leaders on Friday to resume dialogue and warned that former president Evo Morales was trying to exploit the unrest. The call came after the reopening of the Río Abajo corridor, a key food‑producing area that had been isolated by road blockades. The blockades, which began on 6 May, now affect eight of Bolivia’s nine regions and have caused shortages of food, fuel, medicines and medical oxygen. Seven people have died from lack of timely medical care and additional deaths occurred during clashes with security forces.

Vice President Edmand Lara Montaño rejected the proposal of a state of exception, saying he would not betray the people and urging the government to prioritize dialogue over force. He highlighted the same blockades, led by the Central Obrera Boliviana, the Tupac Katari peasant federation and Morales supporters, which demand Paz’s resignation. The Senate recently approved a bill expanding the military’s powers in cases of internal disturbance, now pending in the lower chamber.