Bolivia’s president declares state of emergency over blockade crisis

By Helen Regan, Diego Mendoza, CNN

(CNN) — Bolivia’s President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency Saturday, after weeks of anti-government protests over rising living costs and economic pressure that have since grown into an escalating political crisis.

Protests, backed by workers unions, farmers and supporters of former President Evo Morales, are demanding Paz resign. Road blockades have caused shortages of food, fuel and medical supplies in parts of the country and ground the economy to a halt over the past 50 days, with at least 14 killed between May 1 and June 15, according to Bolivia’s ombudsman’s office.

“I have arranged for the implementation of the State of Exception to free the country’s roads,” Paz said in an address to the nation. “Bolivians cannot continue to be hostages of blockades that prevent working, studying, receiving medical attention, supplying themselves, and bringing sustenance to their homes.”

The president said the move clears the way for the military and police to restore order.

Paz said the state of emergency seeks to “restore” normalcy to Bolivia, where he said “organized groups continue to use violence to paralyze the country.”

Last month, Paz signed a law allowing military forces to intervene in internal conflicts, though he previously said declaring a state of emergency would be a last option if dialogue fails.

“After exhausting all dialogue, after reaching agreements with those who had legitimate demands, and clearly identifying those who used violence to try and destabilize Bolivia, we have made the decision to enact a state of exception across all national territory,” Paz said in his address Saturday.

Centrist Paz took office seven months ago, inheriting the country’s worst economic crisis in a generation that helped propel the end of nearly two decades of leftist rule. His election marked a historic shift for the South American country, governed almost continuously since 2006 by Bolivia’s Movement to Socialism, or MAS.

Paz has sought to strengthen diplomatic ties with Washington — strained since 2009 — and in September, unveiled plans for a $1.5 billion economic cooperation deal with US officials to ensure fuel supplies.

On June 4, the US State Department released a readout of a call between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Bolivian President Paz, noting the “United States’ unwavering commitment to support Bolivia’s democracy and the Paz Administration as it rebuilds the country after 20 years of failed socialist policies.”

“The Secretary noted the United States is ramping up emergency assistance and logistics operations support in Bolivia to help those facing acute food and medical shortages due to illegal roadblocks intended to destabilize Bolivian society,” said State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.

A resident in La Paz, Bolivia, David Pacheco, told Reuters he supports the state of emergency declaration.

“For me, it’s a good measure because many of us in the city of La Paz have suffered from hunger, from a lack of food, and from the high prices of necessities. The government has done well. President Rodrigo Paz did well to declare a state of emergency,” said Pacheco.

The current unrest first erupted in May after Paz cut long-standing fuel subsidies to shrink the deficit. Bolivia’s crisis-hit economy is low on foreign currency, its once plentiful natural gas exports have plummeted, inflation is at a 40-year high, and fuel is scarce.

In addition to the president’s resignation, unions are demanding wage increases and an end to fuel and dollar shortages.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

CNN’s Aditi Sangal and Uriel Blanco contributed reporting.

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