Bolivia Weighs State of Siege Amid Blockade Threats
Key Facts
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What happened Bolivia’s government says it could declare a state of siege over renewed blockade threats. -
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Who said it Presidential spokesperson José Luis Gálvez told EFE the measure remains under evaluation. -
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The catch It has not been declared yet; officials call it an additional option, not a decision. -
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Context Bolivia’s existing state of exception, in place since June 20, was just extended 90 more days. -
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Why it matters Blockades earlier this year killed at least 14 people and cost billions of dollars. -
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What comes next Bolivia’s Legislative Assembly has 72 hours to review the extended state of exception.
Bolivia Weighs a State of Siege
Bolivia’s government says it could activate a state of siege if road blockades return. Presidential spokesperson José Luis Gálvez told the EFE news agency the option remains under review.
“If we see it pertinent to impose other measures, we will do so; the law contemplates it,” Gálvez said. The statement came on September 15, days after officials renewed a separate state of exception.
What a State of Siege Would Allow
A state of siege sits above Bolivia’s current state of exception in legal severity. It can restrict public movement nationally or in specific regions, including through curfews.
The measure gives security forces broader authority to break up gatherings and control roads. Bolivia’s constitution allows it during serious internal unrest or threats to public order.
Gálvez stressed the government has not made a final decision. He described it as one option among several, not an imminent announcement.
Why Now: Renewed Blockade Threats
The government’s warning follows signs that road blockades could resume. Peasant federations aligned with former President Evo Morales have discussed new mobilizations in recent weeks.
The Bolivian Workers’ Central, known as the COB, and the Peasant Federation of La Paz led earlier rounds of blockades this year. Both groups remain active in ongoing labor and political disputes.
Officials fear a repeat of the disruption that paralyzed Bolivia’s highways between May and June. That episode forced the government’s hand once already.
The State of Exception Already in Place
Bolivia’s current state of exception has been active since June 20, 2026. President Paz signed a decree on September 14 extending it for another 90 days, according to EFE.
Under Bolivian law, the Plurinational Legislative Assembly has 72 hours to review any such decree. Lawmakers can approve, modify or reject the extension during that window.
The state of exception already permits expanded police and military operations. A state of siege would go further, adding movement restrictions on top of it.
Where This Started: The 2026 Blockade Crisis
Bolivia’s unrest traces back to a law passed in April that eased restrictions on converting small farm plots into mortgageable property. Indigenous and peasant groups said it threatened their land rights.
Protests grew alongside a separate economic crisis marked by fuel shortages and a scarcity of U.S. dollars. Bolivia had also removed longstanding fuel subsidies in December 2025, pushing prices higher.
Blockades spread across major highways between May and June, cutting off fuel and medicine to cities including La Paz and El Alto. At least 14 people died and hundreds were injured, according to press tallies.
Economic damage from that period was estimated at more than US$2.7 billion, with some 5,000 heavy trucks stranded on highways and transport-sector losses exceeding US$700,000 a day. Paz signed a deal with the COB on June 19, and blockades ended shortly after.
An Economy Still Under Strain
Bolivia’s broader economic crisis has not eased even as blockades stopped in June. The government floated the boliviano on June 29, ending a fixed exchange rate held for years.
The currency immediately weakened from about 6.96 to 9.73 bolivianos per dollar. By early September it had slid further, to roughly 12.58 per dollar, Rio Times reported.
That marks a decline of about 45 percent since the float began in June. Inflation has cooled from its worst point, even so.
Year-to-date price growth through August stood at 3.01 percent, down sharply from 18.09 percent a year earlier. The twelve-month rate remained higher, at 5.02 percent.
A History of Warnings
This is not the first time Bolivia has floated a state of siege this year. Paz said in May that “everything has a limit” as blockades dragged into a third week.
Morales called a state of siege a “suicidal” measure at the time. He also demanded new elections within 90 days, a call Paz rejected.
Paz has accused Morales of refusing to recognize Bolivia’s constitution. Morales, who faces arrest warrants, denies wrongdoing and continues to criticize the government from hiding.
What Comes Next
Bolivia’s Legislative Assembly must act on the extended state of exception within 72 hours of the September 14 decree. Its decision will shape how much legal room the government has going forward.
Whether a state of siege follows likely depends on whether new blockades materialize in the coming days. Gálvez indicated the government is watching the situation closely before deciding.
Bolivia’s economic crisis, including dollar shortages and fuel costs, remains unresolved regardless of the outcome. That underlying pressure is likely to keep protest movements active into the rest of 2026.
Background: Evo Morales: Bolivia’s Paz Government Is “Agonizing”.
Background: Bolivia’s Inflation Slows as the Boliviano Keeps Sliding.
More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times.
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