Bolivia’s government declared a 90-day state of emergency early Saturday, just hours after signing a peace agreement intended to end more than 50 days of nationwide unrest, following the rejection of the deal by influential indigenous farming organizations that vowed to continue protests and road blockades.
The move marks a dramatic reversal from the optimism generated on Friday when government representatives and labor leaders announced a pact designed to resolve a political and social crisis that has left 14 people dead, according to Bolivia’s Ombudsman’s Office. The agreement addressed several of the protesters’ principal demands, including compensation for vehicles damaged by adulterated gasoline that the government acknowledged distributing, measures to freeze prices on basic goods amid an economic recession, consultation with social organizations on major national legislation, and commitments to prevent the privatization of strategic state-owned companies.
However, the agreement quickly unraveled as peasant and indigenous organizations, particularly from the regions of La Paz and Cochabamba, publicly rejected the deal and accused the Central Obrera Boliviana (COB), one of the main protest groups involved in negotiations, of betraying the movement. Leaders of those organizations called for an expansion of road blockades and renewed efforts to force the resignation of President Rodrigo Paz.
In a video statement delivered alongside members of his cabinet, Paz defended the emergency decree, saying the government had exhausted all avenues of dialogue before taking the measure. He argued that the continuing blockades and disturbances had severely affected the economy, disrupted fuel and food supplies, undermined essential services, and threatened national security.
The president acknowledged widespread public dissatisfaction and recognized what he described as legitimate grievances among rural communities, transport workers and neighborhood organizations. At the same time, he alleged that a separate group operating from the Chapare region was using illicit resources to pursue a campaign of destabilization rather than seeking solutions to the country’s problems.
Paz directly linked those efforts to former president Evo Morales, accusing him of leading an organization seeking to carry out what he described as a coup attempt. Morales and his political base in Cochabamba had joined the protest movement after demonstrations initially organized by labor unions and indigenous groups in La Paz. On Friday, organizations aligned with Morales were among the first to reject the government’s agreement with union leaders.
Although the state of emergency does not impose a nationwide curfew or prohibit public gatherings, authorities retain the power to apply such restrictions selectively in specific areas if necessary. The decree also bans the promotion or execution of violent acts, the possession of explosives, and actions that obstruct the supply of food and other essential goods.
Defense Minister Ernesto Justiniano said authorities were identifying what he called “sensitive areas” where police and military forces could conduct joint operations. The government has also ordered increased protection for strategic infrastructure, including highways, energy facilities and airports, several of which have been temporarily occupied by protesters during the crisis.
Opposition to the emergency measures emerged immediately from protest leaders. Vicente Choque, a representative of the Six Federations of the Tropics of Cochabamba, said demonstrators would not be intimidated by military or police deployments. He warned supporters to remain vigilant, alleging that constitutional rights could come under pressure during the government’s intervention.
Bolivia awoke Saturday to a heightened security presence across key transportation routes. In El Alto, the city neighboring the seat of government and one of the main centers of the protest movement, large numbers of police officers were deployed ahead of planned operations to reopen the highway connecting La Paz with central and eastern regions of the country.
The declaration of emergency signals a new phase in Bolivia’s prolonged political crisis, with authorities preparing security operations even as divisions within the protest movement deepen over whether negotiations or continued mobilization should determine the country’s next steps.
