Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz has declared a state of emergency, authorising the military to clear roadblocks that have paralysed the economy for 50 days and left at least 14 people dead.
In a televised address on Saturday, the centrist leader said the blockades were no longer a social protest but "an organised attempt to destabilise Bolivia's democracy".
"There comes a moment when failing to act ceases to be prudence and becomes irresponsibility," Paz said, promising the measure would protect citizens and ensure the flow of essential goods.
Security forces moved swiftly to clear key highways, including routes near the capital La Paz and neighbouring El Alto, where supplies of food, fuel and medicines have been choked off.
Large crowds gathered to watch as tractors and vehicles removed debris from roads that had resulted in hundreds of trucks being stranded. "We want gasoline!" chanted lorry drivers who had been sleeping in their vehicles for days.
The President's move has won rare cross-party support, with both government allies and opposition politicians backing the declaration. Congress had already cleared the path in May, by repealing legislation that previously limited the executive's use of emergency orders.
"We hope that with this, order and peace can be restored," said Lissa Claros, a lawmaker from the right-wing opposition Alianza Libre party.
However, some opposition figures have warned the measures could deepen unrest. The government insists there are no curfews, though it is considering "extraordinary measures" in sensitive areas.
The crisis erupted after Mr Paz abruptly cut longstanding fuel subsidies to shrink the deficit, amid a worsening dollar crunch and talks with the International Monetary Fund.
Protesters, many allied to former leftist President Evo Morales, have blocked major roads across the country. Morales has denied stoking the unrest, describing it instead as an "indigenous rebellion" driven by economic hardship.
Paz, who has been in power for seven months, has blamed his predecessor for the chaos.
Four Turkish military personnel have been killed after an S-70 helicopter crashed in the eastern province of Malatya on Thursday, Türkiye'...
President Vladimir Putin agreed on Thursday to let European representatives jo...
Azerbaijan and the UK have pledged to strengthen defence, trade and education cooperation after signing a joint declaration elevating relations to ...
European leaders gathered in Dublin on Thursday, 12 November, for the ninth European Political Community (EPC) summit, with security, defence and energy high on the agenda. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held talks focused on peace, trade and regional cooperation.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a stark warning at this year's COP31 summit, saying the climate crisis iss advancing faster than governments' efforts to contain it.
Iran will not let a single particle of its enriched nuclear material leave the country, and any new U.S. attack would be met with strikes on distant American bases, Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei has said.
Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang is stepping down amid reports linking him to a woman suspected by U.S. authorities of spying for China, throwing the future of the $4 trillion chipmaker into uncertainty.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 11 November. Today, we cover Russia-Ukraine peace talks, political tensions in Washington, strikes in Spain, espionage allegations involving Nvidia's CEO, and climate negotiations at COP31 in Türkiye.
President Vladimir Putin agreed on Thursday to let European representatives join the next round of Ukraine peace talks while the United States continues to work towards what could become the largest prisoner exchange of the Russia-Ukraine war.
Azerbaijan and the UK have pledged to strengthen defence, trade and education cooperation after signing a joint declaration elevating relations to a strategic level in Dublin, Ireland on Thursday (12 November).
More than 333,000 people have been forced from their homes in Yemen since the beginning of August as fighting has escalated, including more than 24,000 in the past week alone, the United Nations said on Thursday.
A court in Russia’s Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad has sentenced human rights lawyer Maria Bontsler to 12 years in prison on treason charges, after prosecutors accused her of passing sensitive information to Ukraine.
U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to double tariffs on Mexico unless it stops more than a thousand migrants who are walking north towards the United States, warning that they will be denied entry.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment