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5/27/2026 No to the State of Exception in Bolivia! Rodrigo Paz, Trump's Puppet, Resign Now! Solidarity with the Bolivian People Rising in Struggle!Read Now  The Bolivian people especially workers, peasants, and Indigenous peoples have been mobilizing, blocking roads, and resisting for over three weeks. They are rising up as Indigenous peoples rejecting the looting of their land by foreigners as a continuation of colonialism. The protests have converged on the demand for the resignation of President Rodrigo Paz, who took office in the August 2025 election after Evo Morales was disqualified from running due to a politically targeted criminal case against him.
The conflict escalated from protests against neoliberal Decree 5503, removing fuel subsidies driving up a fuel and economic crisis, and Land Law 1720, deregulating land titles especially of small farmers, into a widespread demand for the president's resignation, with four peasants killed during attempts to clear blockades and more than 25 arrested. Still, the people remain committed to protesting until President Paz resigns. Former President Evo Morales, who comes from an indigenous Aymara family of subsistence farmers in Isallawi, Orinoca Canton, and was a leader in a campesinos (rural laborers) union, had accomplished major reforms in Bolivian society in support of the poor and oppressed sectors. During his presidency from 2006-19, Bolivia's extreme poverty fell by more than half, primary and secondary school enrollment increased and indigenous languages became part of the curriculum in schools. He nationalized Bolivia's natural gas industry, challenging the multinationals exploiting the country and redistributed this wealth to fund social services and infrastructure, fundamentally reforming the neoliberal and racist structures of Bolivia dictated by the neocolonial white ruling class according to US dictates. Morales' presidency marked a new constitution and declared Bolivia a plurinational state, recognizing its indigenous diversity and emphasizing the decolonization of the country. Context: From the 2019 Coup to the Current Crisis In 2019, an unconstitutional coup overthrew Evo Morales, involving Jeanine Áñez, Luis Fernando Camacho (agro-industrial oligarchies of Santa Cruz), Carlos Mesa, and Jorge "Tuto" Quiroga (known CIA operative). The transitional government generated an even greater economic crisis, corruption, and dismantled state enterprises and nationalized sectors, diverting the country's wealth away from the people's needs. 2020: Following the coup against Morales, right-wing politician Jeanine Añez assumed the role of interim president, until popular mobilization forced new elections, but blocked Evo from running. Today the protests respond to urgent threats against to the livelihood and dignity of the Bolivian people Economic Measures and Privatization: After several weeks of mass marches and road blockades, Bolivian workers succeeded in forcing the recently inaugurated neoliberal government of Rodrigo Paz to repeal the controversial Decree 5503, popularly known as the “gasolinazo,” which eliminated hydrocarbon subsidies in Bolivia driving up prices as much as 162%. Land Privatization and Price Increases: However, the Paz government responded with new Decrees 5516, 5517, 5518, and 5598, which privatize strategic resources on an individual basis, dividing privatization by sector in an attempt to fracture the movement. One measure rejected by the peasant sector was Law 1720 (Marinkovic), which would allow the confiscation of small peasant properties as bank collateral, benefiting the large agribusiness owners of Santa Cruz who carried out the 2019 coup. This law was pushed through and approved in record time by the Legislative Assembly in approximately 10 days, without consulting the peasants who would be drastically affected by it. Basic Services Crisis: Gasoline prices rose by 100% (from 3.74 to 6.96 Bolivianos), and poor quality damaged engines. The Central Bank voided the entire Series B of banknotes after a plane accident, causing economic panic. The cost of basic food staples skyrocketed following the elimination of subsidies, and the importation of foreign products was allowed, undermining sovereignty. Compared to the nationalization policies of the Evo Morales government, the country is experiencing a basic services crisis because the government wants to sell the country to transnational corporations rather than protect its population. Corruption and Instability: Government authorities ended up implicated in the so-called cocaine trafficking case involving drugs hidden in wood export volumes, known as the "Narco Wood" case. Likewise, in the case of 32 suitcases filled with cocaine brought in under alleged diplomatic passports at the Viru Viru airport, the impunity surrounding these cases also generated public rejection. Furthermore, during the process of capturing Paraguayan drug trafficker Sebastián Marset—who enjoyed the protection of the Bolivian government of Arce and Rodrigo Paz—Bolivian police personnel, prosecutors, and judges were involved in the disappearance of safes, watches, and money belonging to Marset. To date, none of this has been fully clarified, and no one has been held responsible, revealing total impunity for drug trafficking and government corruption. This has further motivated the Bolivian people to continue fighting. Popular mobilization and growing unity and militancy of the struggle First Phase: March for the Land: Thousands of indigenous people marched from Pando (northern Bolivia, on the border with Brazil) to La Paz, in western Bolivia: peasants and indigenous people walked thousands of kilometers over three weeks, defending the land and their way of life. They arrived with children, the elderly, and seniors; the people of La Paz showed solidarity by providing food, shelter, and medical care. The government refused to negotiate with them, labeling them "destabilizers and vandals with political aims." Escalation of the Struggle: The BCentral Obrero Boliviano(COB) joined, demanding wage increases and opposing the privatization of ENDE (which provides electricity). After two weeks of constant protest in the cities of La Paz and Cochabamba, the popular classes of the city of El Alto (which has a revolutionary history dating back to the 2003 Gas War) launched protest roadblocks and surrounded La Paz, later spreading to other cities such as Sucre, Potosí, and Santa Cruz. All sectors joined the struggle and began to mobilize, including transport workers, miners, peasants, the middle class, and teachers. The resistance is organized and united. An agreement was made among workers, peasants, and mobilized sectors that no one would betray the struggle until the end. For example, when the government began negotiating bonuses with the teachers, the teacher rank-and-file rejected the leadership's agreement and continued participating in the mobilization. On May 27th, mothers took to the streets declaring: "When the people are hungry, mothers go out to fight!" Other tactics include hunger strikes, worker mobilizations, and daily marches to Congress. The people are in struggle and have passed a point of no return to demand their rights and defeat the neoliberal regime of Paz and his conspirators. Lethal Repression against the People Backed up by U.S. Fascism Instead of dialoguing and negotiating with union leaders and popular organizations, the government issued arrest warrants against COB leaders, treating them as "vandals" and "destabilizers." Now, the executive leader of the COB s facing a warrant for his arrest. There were three attempts to clear the protest blockades by the state: on May 14, in Rioseco, and on May 16 in the city of El Alto, both defeated by the people's protests. On May 23, the government tried to open a so-called "humanitarian corridor" to break the blockades, but it came armed by the military and massacred four peasant comrades. Although the government denies killing the peasants, it has been proven by forensic reports in Aroma, and the people have become even more outraged, radicalizing the struggle even further. As of yesterday, there were 25 newly registered arrests. There are also right-wing organizations such as the Cruceñista Youth Union, the Cochabamba Youth Resistance, and Kilómetro Zero Resistance, composed of young fascists with swastikas who believe in racial supremacy. They have begun making threats. The human rights commission ordered the Bolivian state to dismantle these groups after the 2019 coup, but they continue to threaten the people, even attempting to clear roads by confronting peasants. Due to the media blackout, the press reports on attacks against the government and portrays union leaders as vandals, but hides the repression and killings of protestors. Urgent Areas of Struggle Right Now State of Exception: The government is preparing an imminent state of exception. On May 25, the government repealed Law 1341, which protected fundamental rights during states of exception (but limited the duration to 60 days and required legislative approval). This repeal allows for the declaration of a State of Siege without constitutional guarantees, granting impunity to repress using the army and police. Last night, on May 27, it was reported that a US government military plane arrived at Cochabamba airport, and a power outage was carried out throughout the entire Tropics of Cochabamba region, where former President Evo Morales is being sheltered. For these reasons, the popular movement that is holding a nightly vigil in Lauca Ñ has redoubled its security efforts to protect the life of the former president and leader. If a state of siege is declared, the Government of Paz would become a dangerous dictatorship. Threat to Evo Morales and the Peasant Federations of the Tropics of Cochabamba: Since the extradition plot and proscription against Evo Morales and the peasant movement was exposed, Morales is being protected by union organizations in the tropics of Cochabamba. He runs the risk of being captured and extradited to the United States on fabricated charges of drug trafficking and others; some reports already indicate that the U.S. DEA is collaborating with the Bolivian government on plans for illegal "extraction," similar to the case of President Maduro in Venezuela. However, the mobilization and rebellion of the Bolivian people in the streets are still preventing this foreign invasion on Bolivian territory, thereby protecting the future and land of the oppressed peoples in Bolivian society. Demands of the movement:
Our international movement for just peace must strengthen our solidarity with the Bolivian people who are fighting on the front lines! Resist Trump’s “Shield of the Americas”! Defeat the murderous government of Rodrigo Paz! Long live solidarity with the people of Bolivia! Long live the Bolivian Indigenous and peasant movement! Comments are closed.
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