Bolivia's Parliament Confronts Stalled Reform Bills and Mining Project Debate

Deputies Israel Mérida, María Soruco and Carlos Alarcón said on Friday that three anti‑blockade bills introduced in 2025 remain stalled in the Chamber of Deputies, specifically blocked in the Commission of Plural Justice. They plan to merge the proposals into a single draft, arguing the country needs legislation to prevent future social blockades. Mérida warned that recent conflicts could re‑ignite and urged rapid approval, noting surveys show strong public support.

Deputy Claudia Bilbao of the Democratic Christian Party rejected the current system of popular elections for magistrates, arguing that the judiciary is in crisis. She suggested that the Executive temporarily appoint missing members of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court while a new selection mechanism is designed, citing inadequate qualifications and financial constraints of holding new elections.

Lawmakers from the governing and opposition benches met during a parliamentary recess to negotiate motions on the executive‑backed open‑pit mining project at Crucitas. The officialist bloc will submit a substitute text incorporating selected amendments, while parties such as the National Liberation Party and the Civic Agenda Coalition have withdrawn dozens of proposals. The aim is to correct serious flaws in the mining bill and achieve a consensus for its possible approval.