Bolivia Protests

Protests have broken out on the streets of Bolivia. Starting earlier this month, thousands of largely working class and indigenous citizens have marched in defiance of their newly elected government. Rodrigo Paz, only six months into his five-year presidential term, is now facing widespread calls to step down. This shocking turn around comes after Paz won the 2025 election handily, largely with the support of working voters who have now turned against him. 

President Paz, who ran as a centrist candidate, was able to break the two-decade long winning streak of Bolivia’s leftist platform, run on and off by the wily former president Evo Morales. An economic crisis, sparked by lower fuel exports and a lack of foreign currency reserves propelled a change in leadership in the impoverished South American nation. However, Paz has been unable to fix the country’s economic woes, and his pro-business decisions have alienated many of the nation’s poor miners, farmers and laborers. Protesters have clashed with police, exchanging rocks and tear gas. Roads to the capitol city have also been shut down by the unhappy marchers in an attempt to apply economic pressure on the government. It appears nothing short of Paz’s resignation will be enough to assuage the multitudinous malcontents. 

As of now, Paz shows no sign of stepping down. He has made some concessions, such as firing an unpopular labor minister, but to no avail. Only time will tell which side will crack first, as the economic situation continues to spiral.