The recent political and social crisis in Bolivia has once again brought to the forefront the country’s delicate balance between democracy, security, and economic stability. The Congress’s approval of a bill granting the president broader powers to declare a state of emergency and deploy military units to suppress protests underscores the extent of the tension in the country. The road blockades, demonstrations, and anti-government protests that have been ongoing for nearly a month are not merely a political struggle but also an expression of economic and social discontent.
At the heart of the current crisis lie the reform policies that President Rodrigo Paz has been attempting to implement. Paz, a center-right politician, pledged during his election campaign to open Bolivia’s economy further to private investment. However, farmers and indigenous communities, particularly those in rural areas, fear these policies will benefit large landowners and private companies. Consequently, the government’s land reform initiative sparked the initial protests.
It is noteworthy that the backlash against land reform has quickly evolved into a broad nationwide opposition movement. Demonstrations, initially led by small farmers, have grown over time with the participation of miners, transport workers, indigenous organizations, and other social groups. This indicates that the issue is not limited to land reform alone. In fact, the protests have emerged as a result of broader issues, such as long-standing economic hardships, rising living costs, and a lack of trust in government policies.
In particular, developments following the removal of fuel subsidies have increased pressure on the government. For many years, Bolivia has sought to keep fuel prices low through state subsidies. However, due to the growing burden on public finances, steps have been taken to eliminate these subsidies. Following this decision, fuel supply issues have arisen, and claims have surfaced that some stations are selling low-quality or adulterated fuel. Workers in the transportation sector claim their vehicles are being damaged and accuse the government of ignoring economic realities.
The continuation of protests alongside road blockades is further deepening economic problems. Due to the closure of the country’s main transportation routes, there are serious disruptions in the distribution of essential goods such as fuel, medicine, and water. This situation demonstrates that the economic costs of the protests are steadily increasing. At the same time, images of shortages are intensifying public pressure on the government. On one hand, the government seeks to end the protests; on the other hand, the continuation of the protests is exacerbating economic problems, thereby creating the conditions for new protests to emerge. Thus, a vicious cycle is forming.
In this context, the new legislation passed by Congress marks a significant turning point. The previous law, enacted in 2020, limited the military’s intervention in protests to situations where police forces were insufficient. The new legislation, however, grants the president broader discretion. Lawmakers supporting the bill argue that the current regulation unnecessarily restricts constitutional authorities. In their view, elected governments must have the necessary tools to maintain public order, and violent groups should not be allowed to dictate the country’s governance.[i]
In contrast, opposition circles claim that the regulation poses risks to democratic rights. Particularly given Bolivia’s recent political history, the use of the military to suppress protests is causing serious concerns within society. The loss of life resulting from security forces’ interventions in demonstrations in previous years remains fresh in people’s memories. For this reason, the new regulation is viewed by some as a step that could exacerbate rather than alleviate social tensions.[ii]
Another dimension of the crisis is the political struggle between former President Evo Morales and the current administration. The Paz government claims that Morales is behind the protests and that the former leader is deliberately stoking public discontent against the government. Morales, however, denies these allegations. Yet, given the former president’s significant influence, particularly among indigenous communities, it is evident that he still holds considerable political sway over developments in the country.[iii]
Morales’s tenure in power from 2006 to 2019 is regarded as a pivotal period in Bolivian history for the strengthening of political representation for indigenous peoples. For this reason, Morales’s supporters believe that Paz’s economic reforms will weaken the state’s role in the economy and jeopardize social gains. In particular, the planned amendments to the 2009 Constitution are perceived by Morales’s supporters as a threat to some of the gains the country has achieved over the past twenty years.
President Paz is taking various steps to resolve the current crisis. He is making changes to his cabinet, cutting his own salary and those of his ministers in half, and has announced plans to establish a new council to negotiate with different segments of society. However, so far these initiatives have not succeeded in ending the protests. One of the main reasons for this is that the demands of the groups participating in the protests are quite diverse. Farmers, truckers, miners, and indigenous organizations are raising different issues, making it difficult to formulate a common package of solutions.
Developments in Bolivia once again highlight the relationship between state capacity and social legitimacy, a dynamic frequently observed in Latin America. A government’s increased reliance on security measures may restore public order in the short term. However, as long as the root causes of social dissatisfaction remain unaddressed, it seems highly unlikely that security policies will yield lasting solutions. Therefore, it would be a more beneficial approach for the Paz administration to focus not only on ending the protests but also on addressing the underlying causes of economic and social problems.
In conclusion, the crisis in Bolivia is not viewed merely as a political struggle between the government and the opposition. The events have emerged as a complex process where various factors intersect, including the social impacts of economic reforms, the state’s security policies, the political standing of indigenous peoples, and the shaping of the post-Evo Morales era. Congress’s approval of a regulation granting broader powers to the military strengthens the government’s hand in the short term. However, it remains uncertain whether this decision will bring an end to the protests. On the contrary, there is a risk that a security-focused approach could further exacerbate social polarization. Therefore, the most critical challenge facing Bolivia is to develop a balanced solution that can maintain public order while preserving democratic legitimacy and social consensus.
[i] Buschschlüter, Vanessa. “Bolivian Congress Allows Deployment of Troops to Quell Protests”, BBC News, https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8932y4d4w7o, (Date of Access: 31.05.2026).
[ii] Ibid.
[iii] Ibid.
