Bolivia's COB Reschedules Emergency Summit as Road Blockades Persist
The Central Obrera Boliviana (COB) postponed its nationwide emergency meeting from Saturday to Sunday, keeping the venue at the miners' headquarters in La Paz. The session will focus on analysing the current political situation amid a standoff with President Rodrigo Paz’s government. Blockades of roads, now in their 44‑45th day, have resulted in at least 13 deaths, massive economic losses, and a food‑medicine crisis, with the Bolivian Roads Authority reporting 84 blocked points—30 in Cochabamba and 20 in La Paz.
The Federación Única de Campesinos Tupac Katari has vowed to maintain the blockades until Paz resigns, a stance endorsed by former president Evo Morales, who urged supporters not to surrender. In Caranavi, local residents attempted to open a strategic route for food trucks but were repelled by blockading groups, leaving the road closed.
An Argentine human‑rights delegation, comprising NGOs and parliamentarians, will travel to Bolivia to document alleged violations, citing at least ten deaths, over 300 detentions, and reports of torture under Paz’s security forces. Meanwhile, a miners’ union (FSTMB) meeting in Oruro collapsed without a quorum, sparking criticism of its secretary Andrés Paye.
These developments underscore a deepening political crisis with widespread social, economic, and humanitarian ramifications.