Month of Blockades Deepens Crisis | Un mes de bloqueos agrava la crisis

By El Diario:

Radical Sectors Isolate Regions for a Month

Blockades and Sieges Worsen the Country’s Economic Crisis

  • Measures by the COB, peasant roadblocks, and supporters of Evo Morales have worsened debt burdens, halted production, and caused economic damage exceeding US$1.68 billion in nearly a month, according to industrialists and entrepreneurs.
  • Efforts to resolve the conflicts have failed, and the dialogue session scheduled for today was suspended following the postponement of the COB’s expanded meeting.

The blockades and sieges imposed by the Central Obrera Boliviana (COB), peasant groups, and supporters of Evo Morales have isolated regions across the country, particularly the cities of La Paz and El Alto. These measures have worsened debt burdens, brought production to a standstill, and caused economic damage exceeding US$1.68 billion in nearly a month, according to reports from industrialists and entrepreneurs.

The current crisis began on May 1, following a declaration of an indefinite general strike that quickly spread throughout the provinces. A few days later, peasant workers from La Paz began a siege of the seat of government, which remains unchanged to this day.

The initial sector-specific demands gradually evolved into the more radical demand for resignations at the political and institutional level. However, this situation changed on Friday, May 29, after arrest warrants against the main protest leaders were annulled.

In response, the industrial sector warned that it is in an “intensive care” phase and stated that the blockades are causing Bolivia economic losses of US$60 million per day, representing more than US$1.68 billion over the course of this month.

Attempts to resolve the conflicts have not succeeded. As a result, the Vice Presidency, the Catholic Church, and the Ombudsman’s Office announced through a statement that they had decided to suspend the session of the Dialogue Commission scheduled for today. The meeting, which was expected to be attended by President Rodrigo Paz and representatives of the mobilized social sectors, had been scheduled for 3:00 p.m. today at the San Jerónimo Seminary.

The number of roadblock points on the country’s highways increased yesterday to 93, and these pressure measures are affecting six of Bolivia’s departments.

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