Bogota, Colombia – Protesters clashed with security forces in the Bolivian capital La Paz on Monday as tensions over Bolivia’s dire economic situation rise.
After six days of marching toward the capital, protesters, many wearing miners’ protective helmets, tore down barricades and hurled projectiles, while police dispersed the crowds with tear gas.
By Monday night, peace had been restored to the streets of La Paz, with reports that more than 100 protesters had been arrested, and the government remained in power.
The conflict in the capital follows two weeks of protests over concerns about fuel shortages and inflation.
The unrest began with a miners’ strike but has expanded to include teachers, farmers and indigenous groups, many of whom are demanding President Rodrigo Paz resign less than seven months after taking office.
The root cause of the conflict is President Paz’s decision in late 2025 to eliminate fuel subsidies that many of Bolivia’s rural communities have depended on for two decades but which have depleted the country’s international dollar reserves.
Protesters have a variety of grievances, but they all focus on concerns about the country’s economic direction. The Andean country is experiencing a severe economic crisis and inflation remains above 14%, although it has fallen steadily from a peak of nearly 25% in July 2025.
Disgruntled citizens have blocked 32 highways, clogging the country’s road network and causing shortages in food and medicine supplies. The Argentine government sent emergency relief supplies by air at Bolivia’s request.
Paz said fuel shortages, rising prices and austerity measures needed to ensure financial stability have combined to create deep divisions within Bolivian society and government.
Vice President Edmund Lara accused the president of failing to fulfill his campaign promises.
Meanwhile, President Paz has criticized the protesters, saying, “There is no reason to attack innocent people.”
Former President Evo Morales, who ruled Bolivia from 2006 to 2019, wrote about
Economy Minister Jose Gabriel Espinoza dismissed the protesters as “political operatives trying to act as a stepping stone” for Morales to take power.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro also criticized
Paz was elected on a pledge to end costly fuel subsidies, and comfortably defeated far-right candidate Jorge Quiroga in a runoff.
Nonetheless, this policy became a major cause of unrest. Central Obrera Boliviana (COB), Bolivia’s largest labor union, declared a general strike in November last year.
An arrest warrant was issued yesterday for COB Secretary-General Mario Argollo, charging him with terrorism and criminal incitement for his role in the blockade.
Featured image caption: President Rodrigo Paz speaks.
Featured image source: Pavel Špindler via Wikimedia Commons
