By Laura Gamba
BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Protests led by indigenous and civilian groups aligned with former President Evo Morales reached a critical point on Monday, marking three weeks of intensifying demonstrations against the government of President Rodrigo Paz.
Demonstrators have entered the capital of La Paz and are currently threatening to march on the presidential palace, demanding Paz's immediate resignation.
The unrest stems from widespread opposition to a series of economic measures implemented by the Paz administration, most notably the elimination of fuel subsidies.
Protesters are also demanding a 20% wage increase and the halting of public company privatizations. Discontent has been further exacerbated by a sweeping legislative package targeting mining, investment, hydrocarbons, and the green economy, alongside a partial constitutional reform aimed at opening strategic sectors to private investment.
A major point of contention is Law 1720 on land. The legislation allows small agricultural properties to be reclassified as medium-sized estates to facilitate their use as loan collateral. Demonstrators argue the law disproportionately benefits large agro-industrial entrepreneurs at the expense of ancestral indigenous and peasant lands.
At least 25 active roadblocks are currently paralyzing key transit routes, including international corridors connecting Bolivia with Peru and Chile. The blockades, which have been sustained for 16 days in several regions, have triggered a severe humanitarian crisis. Major cities are facing critical shortages of food, fuel, and essential medical supplies. The death toll since the start of the crisis has risen to four.
Former President Morales is reportedly inciting the protests from his stronghold in the Chapare coca-growing region. Morales has been evading authorities since 2024 after failing to appear at a judicial hearing regarding charges of alleged sexual abuse of a minor in 2016. A new arrest warrant was issued against him last Monday on the same charges.
The crisis has sparked diplomatic friction with other countries in South America.
The Bolivian Foreign Ministry issued a formal statement on Sunday, sharply rejecting comments made by Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who characterized the situation as a 'popular uprising' driven by 'geopolitical arrogance.'
'Bolivia considers any external interpretation or characterization that distorts the nature of current events or contributes to deepening the divide among Bolivians to be inappropriate,' the ministry said.
The Paz government has secured strong backing from Washington and several regional neighbors. A joint statement issued by Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru expressed deep concern over the destabilization efforts, explicitly rejecting what they termed an 'attempted coup' against a government democratically elected in the 2025 general election.
The US State Department's Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs also gave their support in an official statement: 'In Bolivia, riots and blockades have created a humanitarian crisis, causing shortages of medicine, food and fuel. We condemn all actions aimed at destabilizing the democratically elected government of Rodrigo Paz and support it in its efforts to restore order for the peace, security, and stability of the Bolivian people.'