Bolivia protests intensify as President Rodrigo Paz faces nation‑wide strike

For about six weeks, Bolivia has been under a near‑general strike that has crippled the country. Millions of workers, including teachers, miners, factory and transport staff, and neighbourhood committees, have erected road blockades around La Paz and across five of the nine departments – Santa Cruz, Oruro, Potosí, Chuquisaca and Cochabamba. The protests, led largely by indigenous campesinos, demand the resignation of centre‑right President Rodrigo Paz Pereira, who took office in January.

The unrest stems from an acute cost‑of‑living crisis, soaring inflation and fuel shortages that followed Paz’s austerity measures, cuts to subsidies, and plans to privatise state utilities. Blocked highways have halted trucks, caused food shortages and price spikes for staples such as potatoes, bread and meat, while hospitals report shortages of oxygen and medicines. Protesters also oppose proposed legal changes that would criminalise social protests and undermine land and mineral rights.

The government’s response has included limited opening of certain roads by police and military, but the blockade remains largely in place, keeping La Paz isolated and intensifying public anger toward a administration seen as aligned with U.S. interests and multinational corporations.