Bolivia in Crisis: Massive Blockades Cause Million-Dollar Losses and Social Tension
Bolivia is experiencing a critical situation due to social conflicts affecting a large part of the territory. The Bolivian Highway Administration (ABC) reported more than 70 blockade points this Thursday, with the departments of Cochabamba and La Paz being the most affected. These pressure measures have generated economic losses that already exceed 2 billion dollars, severely affecting the industrial sector and putting thousands of jobs and investments across the country at risk.
Given the gravity of the situation, the national government insists on the need to establish a dialogue, although it maintains the state of exception as an alternative to restore order. In this context, Senator Rodrigo Paz presented a bill to the Plurinational Legislative Assembly to regulate states of exception, seeking to establish a clear regulatory framework for managing this type of crisis.
Political tension continues to rise with new mobilizations. Sectors known as "evistas" have called for a town hall meeting in the town of Caracollo for this Friday, coinciding with the legislative debate on the regulation of states of exception. Meanwhile, in Llallagua, Potosí, residents of the Siglo XX mining district marched through the streets to demand the lifting of the blockades, expressing their exhaustion with the harm these measures cause to daily life.
Violence on the highways has also left victims. On the route connecting Oruro with La Paz, a group of blockaders attacked a truck in which a family was traveling with stones. The act of vandalism destroyed the vehicle's windshield and caused injuries and a great scare to the driver, who was accompanied by his wife and young daughter at the time of the attack.
In the economic sphere, the foreign exchange market shows instability. The dollar in the parallel market closed the day at 9.95 bolivianos, after having surpassed the 10 bolivianos barrier during the early hours of the morning. To mitigate the impact of the conflict on the basic food basket, the La Paz Mayor's Office announced that it will continue selling chicken meat at a price of 28 bolivianos per kilogram, eliminating intermediaries to help families in La Paz.
Finally, the supply crisis is severely affecting the most remote regions. Heavy cargo transporters in Apolo announced the start of a hunger strike due to the lack of fuel and food. The drivers report that they are isolated and that the authorities have not complied with previous agreements to guarantee basic supplies in their region.