Under a traffic light, recently felled trees block the road leading to the village of Sipe Sipe from Cochabamba, in the heart of Bolivia, the epicenter of anti-government protests by supporters of former President Evo Morales.
“We demand the resignation of President Luis Arce. He must call elections”says José Loayza, a 40-year-old wheat producer, while chewing a few coca leaves. “We will not remove roadblocks”he assures.
Supporters of the first indigenous person to rule Bolivia (2006-2019) have been blocking the country’s main roads since October 14 to protest against the “judicial persecution” according to them of their leader, but also against the government’s management of the crisis in which the country is plunged.
People try to cross a barricade erected by supporters of former Bolivian President Evo Morales, which blocks a road linking Cochabamba to La Paz, near the village of Sipe Sipe, 25 km from Cochabamba, Bolivia, October 28, 2024 / AIZAR RALDES / AFP
Despite a judgment disqualifying him, the 65-year-old former president wants to run in the August 2025 presidential election against his ex-ally and now rival Luis Arce.
On Sunday, he claimed to have been the target of an assassination attempt, described as “staged” by the government.
“How could they attack him? We are not going to allow this kind of situation in Cochabamba. We will intensify our mobilization”threatens Jodé Loayza, among the hundred demonstrators.
The supporters of Mr. Morales, a former coca farmer, are mostly indigenous farmers. Their protest movement began after the opening of an investigation targeting their leader for « viol » of a teenage girl in 2015, which could lead to his arrest.
“Our pockets are empty”
In addition to trunks, demonstrators placed stones, as well as tires and other waste to block the passage of vehicles. Near a barricade, they express their demands.
“What we earn is not enough with all the things that have increased: rice, sugar, oil (…) our pockets are empty and we do not have enough to feed our children”told AFP a resident of Sipe Sipe, 25 km from Cochabamba.
15 kilometers away, violent clashes on Friday between demonstrators and police left 14 of the latter injured. In addition, 44 people were arrested, according to authorities.
On Tuesday, new clashes left 13 injured, including 12 police officers, near the town of Mairana, on the road linking Lima to Santa Cruz, the country’s economic capital.
“At the moment, 100% of the agricultural unions in the countryside are there. Next, we will carry out a product strike. We are going to cut off water to the city of Cochabamba. We kicked out (ex-president) Sanchez de Lozada, how can we not kick out Arce”threatens Mr. Loayza, one of the rare demonstrators to agree to speak.
Supporters of former Bolivian President Evo Morales block a road linking Cochabamba to La Paz, about twenty km from Cochabamba, Bolivia, October 28, 2024 / AIZAR RALDES / AFP
Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada fled his country in October 2003 after the bloody repression of popular riots.
A line of demonstrators passes heavy stones from hand to hand from the dry bed of a river in order to block the bridge which spans it. Nearby, a poster shows President Arce’s face smeared with black paint.
“We are blocking to get what we need: food, fuel, dollars”explains Grover Torrico, a truck driver who is participating in the blockade despite the fact that it worsens the fuel shortage.
Bolivia recorded year-on-year inflation of 6.2% in September, the highest since July 2014. Blockages have exacerbated fuel shortages and rising prices on the markets.
The country of 12 million inhabitants has been struggling for a year with a lack of fuel, after having had to reduce its imports due to the drop in its income from the sale of gas, its main source of foreign currency until 2020 .
“The country is going from bad to worse”laments Grover Torrico, believing that the government “must not wait for people to come out and block the streets” pour “solve problems”.
