President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency across Bolivia on Saturday, capping weeks of anti-government protests over rising living costs that have escalated into a political crisis. The move grants wider powers to deploy the military to clear blockades and restore order after the unrest brought the economy to a near-standstill for roughly 50 days.
The protests, backed by labor unions, farmers and supporters of former President Evo Morales, are demanding Paz’s resignation. Road blockades have caused shortages of food, fuel and medical supplies in parts of the country.
“After exhausting all avenues of dialogue, reaching agreements with those whose demands were legitimate, and identifying those who used violence in an attempt to destabilize Bolivia, we made the decision to declare a state of emergency across the entire national territory,” Paz said in a televised address.
The declaration came just hours after Paz announced a deal reached Friday with the country’s main labor confederation, the COB, aimed at easing tensions.
But coca farmers in the Chapare region — Morales’ stronghold — rejected the deal and vowed to harden their roadblocks, saying they felt betrayed
