Bolivia’s First Talks in 48 Days End Without a Deal
Bolivia · News
Key Facts
- First talks in 48 days. President Paz and the COB union met on Wednesday evening at the Central Bank in La Paz.
- No deal. After about four hours the meeting broke into recess, a “cuarto intermedio,” with nothing signed.
- Detainees are the sticking point. The two sides formed a commission on roughly 360 people arrested since May.
- The roads stay blocked. Around 45 to 49 blockades hold, with La Paz still hard to reach.
- The toll is heavy. Officials cite 16 deaths and economic losses estimated near US$2.76 billion.
Bolivia’s blockades are not lifting yet, despite a long-awaited first meeting between the government and the country’s main union after nearly seven weeks of unrest. The talks ended without agreement, and the roads into La Paz remain cut until a dispute over detainees is resolved.
The talks that stalled
On Wednesday evening, President Rodrigo Paz, his cabinet and the attorney general met union leader Mario Argollo at the Central Bank in La Paz. It was the first direct dialogue between the two sides in 48 days.
After roughly four hours, the meeting was declared in recess rather than concluded. No agreement was reached, and both sides left the door open to resuming later.
The detainees sticking point
The one concrete outcome was a technical and legal commission to review the cases of people detained during the unrest. Officials put the number at around 360 arrested since early May, with a smaller group held in preventive detention.
Freeing or reviewing those cases is the union’s stated precondition for lifting the blockades. Until there is movement on it, the leadership says the roads stay shut.
The blockades that remain
Despite the dialogue, roughly 45 to 49 active road blocks were still in place across several departments. The heaviest concentrations were around La Paz, Cochabamba and Oruro.
For now, that leaves the capital difficult to reach overland, with shortages of fuel, food and other supplies persisting. The practical advice for travellers is unchanged: fly rather than drive.
Why the demands shifted
Notably, the earlier call for President Paz to resign had not been dropped, though our reporting has shown the union’s immediate leverage now centres on an eight-point list of demands led by the detainees and other grievances.
Separately, a powerful La Paz campesino federation set its own five conditions and a 24-hour ultimatum. The picture is of several actors with overlapping but not identical demands.
The human and economic cost
The conflict has been costly. Authorities link 16 deaths to the unrest, many of them attributed to blocked access to medical care.
Economic losses have been estimated at close to US$2.76 billion as commerce and transport seize up. A state of exception remains the government’s last unused option.
What it means for travel
If you live in or plan to visit Bolivia, treat overland routes into La Paz as unreliable for now. Flying into the city remains the safer bet, and you should keep a buffer for delays and shortages.
Avoid the Chapare region, where tensions are highest, and follow your embassy’s guidance. Conditions can change quickly once the detainees issue moves, so check the latest before you travel.
More: Bolivia news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did the talks end the blockades?
No. The first government-union meeting in 48 days broke into recess with no deal, and the union says the roads stay blocked until the detainees issue is resolved.
Can I still reach La Paz?
By air, yes. Overland routes remain unreliable, with around 45 to 49 blockades still in place and shortages of fuel and supplies, so flying is the safer option.
What is the dispute about now?
The immediate sticking point is the roughly 360 people detained during the unrest. The union wants their cases addressed before it lifts the blockades.
Is it safe to travel elsewhere in Bolivia?
Conditions vary by region, and the Chapare in particular should be avoided. Follow your embassy’s advice and check local updates before any overland trip.
How long has this gone on?
The unrest is into its seventh week, with 16 deaths and economic losses estimated near US$2.76 billion. A resolution depends on the stalled talks resuming.
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