Santa Cruz civic leaders threaten protests over fuel crisis

The Asamblea de la Cruceñidad has issued an ultimatum to the Bolivian government, setting October 10—Democracy Day—as a deadline to address several regional demands. If these are not met, civic leaders have threatened escalated street protests and the potential convening of a cabildo.

Key demands include resolving the diesel and fuel shortage crisis, restoring regional competencies in health, education, and infrastructure, and implementing a '50/50' resource distribution model in the 2027 General State Budget. Governor Juan Pablo Velasco has specifically proposed a 90-day tax exemption on VAT and IT for private fuel imports to alleviate supply issues and reduce the impact of subsidies.

In response, the Minister of Productive Development, Óscar Mario Justiniano, stated that the government is prioritizing results over specific deadlines and maintains coordination with various productive sectors to resolve the economic and energy crisis.