LA PAZ, June 9, (V7N) – Bolivia's embattled President Rodrigo Paz signaled dwindling patience for protests that have paralyzed the country, moving closer to enacting a state of emergency that would allow the military to intervene. For weeks, protesters have marched and erected roadblocks, bringing Bolivia to a near standstill and pushing up food and fuel prices while causing shortages of basic goods.
Riot police have fired tear gas in attempts to clear the blockades but have been forced to pull back under gunfire that has wounded several officers. Protesters have hurled stones and burned tires, and at least 14 civilians have also been injured, according to the ombudsman's office. The protesters are demanding that Paz's fledgling government tackle a deep economic crisis, while others have demanded that he step down.
Amping up his rhetoric Monday, Paz blamed "narcoterrorists" for the unrest and warned their "days are numbered." On Sunday, the legislature passed a new law paving the way for Paz to declare a state of emergency, which would authorize military deployment to repress the movement and clear the blockades. Paz has suggested that former president Evo Morales and his coca-growing supporters are pushing protests to destabilize his government.
Waving white flags and chanting "Peace for La Paz," hundreds of Bolivians marched through the city center on Monday, demanding an end to the roadblocks. "We can no longer bear the hunger of the people, whose food baskets are empty," vendor Ninoska Diaz told AFP. Paz wrote on X that La Paz and El Alto were "still facing difficult times, but concrete progress is also beginning to be made."
Pro-business Paz took office in November, promising to resolve the country's worst economic crisis in decades, but his unpopular economic reforms and failure to respond to social demands have roused public ire. Morales — in hiding from charges related to his relationship with a teen — is accused of fomenting the unrest. On Friday, US President Donald Trump's new Shield of the Americas alliance gave Paz its unequivocal backing.
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