Bolivia Declares State of Emergency as Military Deploys Bulldozers to Clear Protests Threatening to Topple Government

La Paz / El Alto, Bolivia – Bolivia's president declared a state of emergency on Saturday and deployed soldiers and bulldozers to raze anti-government roadblocks that have paralysed the country for more than six weeks, as protests by unions, Indigenous groups, and coca farmers threaten to topple the first non-socialist government in two decades.

For more than six weeks, protesters have marched through cities and blocked roads across the country with rubble, logs, and debris, causing acute shortages of fuel, food, and medicine in major cities. The economy has lost billions of dollars, and the protests have threatened to topple President Rodrigo Paz, Bolivia's first conservative leader in two decades.

The president appeared in a predawn televised address on Saturday to warn protesters they would face "the full force of the law" as he moved to end the crisis. He declared a 90-day state of emergency, which curbs the right to protest and allows the military to be deployed domestically.

'Bolivians Cannot Continue to Be Held Hostage'

"Bolivians cannot continue to be held hostage by blockades that prevent them from working, studying, receiving medical care, getting supplies and bringing food to their homes," Paz said in a social media post. "This state of emergency is not intended to take away normalcy, but to restore it."

Hours after his address, AFP reporters in the city of El Alto saw squads of soldiers and armed police moving in a convoy as bulldozers moved in to clear roadblocks. Some residents clapped as they passed. One man handed a bag of bread to a police officer riding in the back of a pickup truck.

"I'm very happy," Carla Butron, a 39-year-old shopkeeper, told AFP. "Everything has been difficult here in El Alto during these 50-some days – work, free movement."

In nearby La Paz, military police and navy personnel guarded the presidential palace, and police tactical units were stationed on main squares as the government asserted control over the capital.

The Roots of the Crisis

The protesters want Paz to abandon liberal economic reforms and step down, less than a year after he was elected. The 58-year-old president had signalled he was ready to negotiate and, earlier this week, agreed to a deal with one of the country's major unions to end the crisis.

In exchange for a promise not to privatise state companies and to hold further talks, the Bolivian Workers' Central union agreed to end their protests. But some Indigenous groups have vowed to fight on, and more than 40 major roadblocks remain in place across the country.

"We want him gone. We don't want him to be the one governing," Lidia Callisaya, a 42-year-old Aymara leader, told AFP recently.

But some Bolivians are ready to see an end to the disruption. On the road to La Paz, truck driver Erland Richard Segovia, 49, was hoping to make it to Santa Cruz, farther east. "They abandoned us on the road, we have to wait. Now, at least we're seeing that traffic is starting to get back to normal," he said.

The Morales Factor: Former President in Hiding

Paz has accused "narcoterrorists" – and in particular former president Evo Morales – of being behind the road-blocking protests. Morales, a leftist firebrand, Indigenous leader, and former coca farmer, was president from 2006 to 2019.

Morales is currently in hiding while facing charges of alleged trafficking of a minor, which he denies. His stronghold is the Chapare region in central Bolivia, which is now a potential flashpoint. He is protected by thousands of Indigenous supporters who have so far prevented police from arresting him.

Interior Minister Marco Antonio Oviedo on Saturday refused to rule out an operation to capture the former leader. The security forces "will carry out whatever operations are necessary at the appropriate time," he said, adding that Morales must face the law.

Morales recently told AFP from hiding that Bolivians were rebelling against a conservative government that is "utterly submissive" to the United States.

Economic Impact: Billions Lost

The protests have inflicted severe damage on Bolivia's economy. The disruption of transport routes has caused acute shortages of fuel, food, and medicine in major cities, while the economy has lost billions of dollars due to the paralysis of trade and commerce.

Bolivia, one of South America's poorest countries, relies heavily on agricultural exports and natural gas, both of which have been severely impacted by the roadblocks. The UN and international observers have expressed concern about the humanitarian situation, with vulnerable populations facing shortages of essential goods.

El Alto, a sprawling city of more than one million people perched above La Paz, has been particularly hard hit. The city, which is a hub for commerce and transport, has seen its economy grind to a halt as roads in and out of the city have been blocked.

What's Next for Bolivia?

The 90-day state of emergency gives the government broad powers to restore order, but it also risks inflaming tensions with Indigenous groups who see Paz's policies as a threat to their way of life.

Key questions remain unanswered:

• Will the military operation succeed in clearing all roadblocks? More than 40 major blockades remain
• Can Paz negotiate a lasting peace? Some Indigenous groups have rejected the deal with the Workers' Central union
• What will happen to Evo Morales? The former president remains in hiding, protected by thousands of supporters
• Can Bolivia's economy recover? The disruption has cost billions and shortages remain severe

For now, the streets of El Alto and La Paz are tense but calmer. Whether this represents a genuine return to normalcy or merely a pause in the conflict remains to be seen.