Bolivia declares state of emergency amid nationwide protest blockades

Bolivia's President Rodrigo Paz has declared a state of emergency after weeks of protests and road blockades that have paralysed large parts of the country. The measure is intended to give the government broader powers to clear blocked roads and restore normal movement of goods and people. Paz said the step was needed to "free the country's roads" and return the country to normalcy.

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The declaration comes after demonstrations that began at the end of April and have been led by miners, farmers and Indigenous groups. Protesters are demanding the reinstatement of fuel subsidies, a rollback of austerity measures and the president's resignation. Under Bolivian law, Congress must approve or reject the emergency measure within 72 hours of the declaration.

The unrest has already caused serious shortages of basic goods, and officials say several people have died while hundreds have been arrested. Journalists reported seeing police and military personnel in main squares on Saturday, while roadblocks remained in place in some areas. Paz said in a social media post that people could not continue to be "hostages of blockades" that prevent them from working, studying, receiving medical attention and supplying their homes.

The emergency declaration adds a new legal and political dimension to a crisis that has been building for weeks. It also highlights the strain on Bolivia's supply chains, public order and political institutions at a time when the government is trying to push through economic changes. Paz, a centre-right politician elected last October, has argued that reforms are needed to open the economy to private investment, while demonstrators say the changes would weaken oversight of natural resources and other key sectors.

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The protests were initially triggered by a land reform proposed by Paz, which critics said would have made it easier for large landowners to buy small properties. He has since scrapped that reform, but the unrest has widened to include opposition to cuts to long-standing fuel subsidies and proposed changes to the constitution. Paz has also accused former president Evo Morales of orchestrating the protests, an allegation Morales has denied.

Paz announced the emergency hours after saying a deal had been reached with the Bolivian Workers' Confederation, although some Indigenous groups said they would continue protesting and roadblocks were still reported. The government has also tried to ease tensions by reshuffling the cabinet and cutting salaries, including the president's own. What happens next will depend on whether Congress backs the emergency and whether the remaining protest groups accept talks or keep the blockades in place.

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