The week started with Bolivia under a state of emergency that tramples democratic freedoms and the right to protest. President Rodrigo Paz, in a pact with the leadership of the Bolivian Workers’ Central (COB), decreed the militarization of the nine departments, with police forces and the Armed Forces patrolling the streets. A true «pacification at gunpoint» that seeks to silence the social struggle that has already been mobilizing for more than 50 days.
Early Saturday morning, Paz signed the state of emergency, and within hours, thousands of police and soldiers left their barracks to occupy protest and blockade concentration points. Tanks, infantry, motorcycles, vans, and drones advanced on La Paz and other routes, even with direct repression. The objective: to install a repressive state where the mobilized people encounter soldiers armed to the teeth, with license to shoot and «presumption of legality» as a shield.
The government assures that there is no curfew or ban on gatherings of two or more people, but the reality is different: the measure prohibits any mobilization, mass gathering, and even publicly expressing support for the protests. This also threatens the cabildos, the basic form of democratic organization that the mobilized sectors have adopted, and which is recognized by the Constitution.
The Minister of Defense, Ernesto Justiniano, announced that with a ministerial signature, «focused measures» can be applied in areas considered sensitive, such as restrictions on movement, limitations on gatherings, or specific prohibitions. The most serious: «the measures will be announced once they are applied and not in advance.» In other words, you could be in a peaceful meeting and a police operation could come to suspend it, without knowing it was prohibited. Pure arbitrariness.
Recall that in recent days there have been blackouts in El Chapare, backpack checks in «sensitive» areas, and saturation operations in El Alto and routes to Oruro and Cochabamba. The threat also served to suspend the expanded meeting of Tupak Katari in Ingavi, and there are rumors of a possible «invasion» of Chapare and even the arrest of former President Evo Morales.
Ernesto Justiniano, appointed a few weeks ago after a trip to the United States, is a man linked to the DEA, a former official of the bloodthirsty Sánchez de Losada, and in permanent contact with Trumpist officials Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth. A character who offers no guarantees of respect for human rights.
We must repudiate this state of emergency that they want to maintain for three months, tying the hands of the mobilized people, militarizing the country to apply neoliberal policies. From Argentina, we stand in solidarity with all sectors in Bolivia that defend democratic freedoms and the right to protest. Out with the army and police from the streets and communities! Down with militarization!
Para mí esto huele a dictadura berreta, Paz se cree que con milicos nos va a callar? Prohibir protestas es de gorila de mierda, la lucha sigue carajo, quilombo hasta que caiga este hijo de puta. Viva la resistencia, fuera milicos opresores. Firma: El Comandante Loco
Para mí esto es puro verso de zurdos. Rodrigo Paz tiene huevos y está limpiando el quilombo que dejaron los zurdos de mierda. Aplaudo de pie que saque los milicos a la calle, es la única forma de que estos vagos vuelvan a laburar. Viva la patria carajo.