Bolivia: Organizations Declare Resistance and Announce Expansion of Road Blockades
They reject the presidential decree imposing a state of exception and denounce that it will be used to persecute the grassroots leaders spearheading the rebellion against neoliberalism.
Grassroots sectors stated that the state of exception would not intimidate them and that they would remain mobilized until the Paz government resigns. Photo: Radio SoberanĂa Cochabamba
After the Rodrigo Paz government declared a state of exception in Bolivia, a group of social organizations categorically rejected the measure—deeming it a tool to persecute grassroots leaders—called for unity, and asserted that they would intensify road blockades until the president resigns.
The struggle continues, declared—in separate statements—the 6 Federations of the Cochabamba Tropics, the Unified Trade Union Confederation of Peasant Workers of Bolivia (CSUTCB), and the Túpac Katari and Bartolina Sisa federations. These groups rejected Supreme Decree 5636—which authorizes the Armed Forces to support the Police in clearing roadways—labeling it “an act of militarization of social life and a violation of our fundamental rights.”
Following an emergency meeting of their representatives, the 6 Federations of the Tropics agreed to “resist the state of exception adopted by the government” and announced an expansion of road blockades across the department of Cochabamba.
Furthermore, they rejected the pacification agreement signed between the Executive branch and the Bolivian Workers’ Center (COB), deeming that the leadership headed by Mario Argollo had betrayed the struggle after 51 days of blockades. The CSUTCB condemned Presidential Decree 5636, which imposed a state of emergency, deeming it offensive for having been issued on the eve of the sacred Andean-Amazonian New Year. They asserted that “the measure does not seek to ensure the people’s well-being, but rather to repress and criminalize the historic struggle of those of us who, for over fifty days, have maintained mobilizations and blockades to demand the resignation of a government that has marginalized and betrayed us.”
“We condemn with particular indignation the conduct of Mario Argollo,” the text continues, “who, after signing an alliance of struggle with our rank-and-file, sold out to the government and signed a pacification agreement that disregards the popular mandate and betrays the cause of the trade union movement.”
They added that they would intensify their strike pickets and would not allow the state of emergency to break their resolve. “The government intends to present the agreement with Argollo as progress, but we denounce it as a fraud against the aspirations of the Bolivian people,” they noted.
“No repressive decree can silence the just demands of the peasants, indigenous people, and workers who have been excluded from government decisions and who see how this government threatens to privatize our strategic enterprises and deepen the economic crisis,” reaffirmed the organization, making it clear that they would remain mobilized until Paz resigns.
For their part, the Tupac Katari Federation (Túpac Katari Departmental Federation of Peasant Workers of La Paz) and the Bartolina Sisa Federation (Bartolina Sisa National Confederation of Peasant, Indigenous, and Native Women of Bolivia) declared that they do not recognize the agreement between the COB and the government; therefore, they will continue with the blockade points. They added that the agreements entered into by the others do not represent the organizational decisions of their rank-and-file nor do they address the demands that had been raised. “As long as there are no concrete responses or effective actions regarding our demands, pressure tactics will continue in accordance with the decisions made by the 20 provinces of the La Paz department,” they stated.
Previously, these organizations had denounced the fact that the Paz government failed to fulfill its campaign promises, governed for the benefit of elites, allowed hate speech against peasants and Indigenous peoples, and is implementing neoliberal measures to restore the neocolonial state.
Despite the state of emergency—which explicitly prohibits road blockades—organized groups were maintaining a total of 44 roadblocks across four of the country’s nine regions during the early hours of Saturday. According to the Bolivian Highway Administration (ABC), at that time there were 19 roadblocks in La Paz, 12 in Cochabamba, 11 in Oruro, and two in the Santa Cruz region.
Alternative media outlets reported the deployment of police officers and heavy machinery to clear roads in cities such as El Alto, in La Paz. The road blockades began on May 6 and led to shortages of food, fuel, and medical oxygen. They are estimated to have caused economic losses in the order of $3 billion.
Resumen Latinoamericano, June 20, 2026.
https://abolitionmedia.noblogs.org/?p=34213
#blockade #bolivia #indigenous #southAmerica #uprising
Kim Perales
MikeDunnAuthor
abolitionmedia
