Bolivia reports roads clear after emergency powers approved
Officials said no protest blockades were active after lawmakers backed President Rodrigo Paz’s emergency decree allowing troops to support police.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
2 min read
Bolivian officials said Sunday that no protest roadblocks remained active across the country, one day after President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency. The announcement pointed to a possible easing of a five-week blockade campaign that authorities and rights groups say has disrupted food, fuel and medicine supplies.
Bolivia’s Legislative Assembly approved Paz’s decree early Sunday, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. The measure bars the obstruction of streets and highways when such action affects transport and supplies, and it allows the armed forces to assist police in reopening roads, protecting residents and restoring order.
The protests began after Paz imposed austerity measures earlier this year, including cuts to fuel subsidies, Al Jazeera and Reuters reported. Demonstrators have called for his resignation, and the blockades have left trucks stranded while limiting deliveries to many parts of the country.
Agreements ease pressure in key areas
Officials and protest leaders in Santa Cruz reached an agreement to end a major blockade in San Julian, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. In La Paz, a federation representing rural and Indigenous groups said it would pause demonstrations while keeping its demands in place.
Bolivia’s national highway authority said Sunday there were no active protest blockades, Al Jazeera and Reuters reported. The agency also cautioned that many roads still needed substantial cleaning and repairs before normal traffic could fully resume.
Police and military personnel remained deployed Sunday despite the reported clearing of routes. The emergency order gives the government wider authority to use security forces after weeks of confrontation on roads and in protest areas.
Casualties and arrests
Bolivia’s ombudsman’s office and human rights organizations have said at least 17 people have died during the crisis, many in cases linked to interrupted medical care caused by the roadblocks. Authorities said clashes between protesters and riot police have resulted in 365 arrests and 37 injuries.
Rights observers have warned that a forceful response that does not address the causes of the protests could prolong instability, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters. The warning came as the government pointed to the absence of active blockades as an early sign that pressure on transport routes was easing.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.