Date: June 21, 2026 l By Kimberly White
LA PAZ, Bolivia — Bolivia began showing early signs of returning to normal activity on Sunday after lawmakers overwhelmingly approved President Rodrigo Paz’s state of emergency decree, a move aimed at ending nearly two months of nationwide disruption caused by anti-government protests and highway blockades.
The emergency measure follows approximately 50 days of unrest that severely disrupted transportation networks, interrupted supply chains, and restricted access to food, fuel and medical supplies across several parts of the country. Authorities said the decree is intended to restore movement and stabilize essential services while avoiding broader restrictions on civil liberties.
The Legislative Assembly approved the decree shortly after President Paz announced emergency measures designed to reopen blocked roads and restore economic activity. Government officials argued that prolonged blockades had moved beyond protest activity and created conditions threatening public welfare and national stability.
The political crisis emerged against a backdrop of economic pressure, including rising living costs, shortages of U.S. dollars and controversial reform measures that included changes to fuel subsidy policies. Demonstrations that began as opposition to economic policies expanded into wider political demands involving wages, governance and leadership.
Road blockades became one of the most visible symbols of the crisis, leaving fuel tankers stranded and reducing the movement of commercial goods into major urban centres including La Paz and El Alto. Economists and business groups warned that the prolonged disruption was inflicting heavy costs on the national economy.
Government negotiations in recent days produced an agreement with the Bolivian Workers’ Confederation (COB), helping reduce pressure in some areas. However, reports indicated that several rural and Indigenous protest groups remained outside those negotiations and continued to press demands related to economic hardship, representation and the release of detained demonstrators.
Security forces continued efforts to reopen transport corridors following legislative approval. Officials maintained that the emergency powers are intended to support logistics and public order rather than suspend constitutional rights, though critics warned that deeper economic grievances remain unresolved.
As daily activity gradually resumes in parts of the country, attention now turns to whether political dialogue and economic concessions can produce a longer-term solution and prevent renewed unrest in one of Bolivia’s most significant political crises in recent years.