By Cassandra Garrison
LA PAZ, June 20 (Reuters) - Tensions soared in parts of Bolivia on Saturday as authorities began clearing roadblocks after President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency amid protests that have paralyzed the economy over the past 50 days and left at least 14 people dead.
Addressing the nation early Saturday morning, the centrist Paz said anti-government blockades were no longer a social protest but an organized attempt to destabilize Bolivia's democracy.
"There comes a moment when failing to act ceases to be prudence and becomes irresponsibility. And that moment has arrived," Paz said, promising the measure, which enables wider military deployment, would protect citizens and ensure the flow of essential goods. He warned that those continuing disruptions would face legal consequences.
Protesting groups, many allied to former leftist President Evo Morales, have cut off key roads, stranding trucks and choking supplies of food, fuel and medicines to many areas, particularly hurting Bolivia's administrative capital La Paz and the neighboring city of El Alto.
At least two dozen vehicles and trucks, multiple motorcycles and several tractors left police headquarters in El Alto on Saturday en route toward a main highway that has routinely been blockaded by protesting groups.
"We have suffered, and we want all of this cleaned up. It's good; all of us neighbors are in agreement," said Elvira de Mamani, 65, as she watched a massive tractor clear debris that had been blocking the highway in front of her neighborhood in El Alto.
At another roadblock down the road, a group of truck drivers who had been sleeping in line since Friday chanted, "We want gasoline!" as it was cleared.
Dozens of people lined up along a highway in an area of El Alto home to migrants from peasant highland communities, shouting support for the protests.
"We have the right to fight for our livelihoods, for our food ... We will fight for our children, so that everything isn't privatized!" said Fortunata Perez, through tears.
EMERGENCY POWERS
Both government allies and opposition politicians have supported Paz's state of emergency. Congress cleared a path for the declaration in May when it repealed a law that had set limits on the executive branch's use of emergency orders and was seen as favoring labor unions and social organizations.
"We have seen that after 50 days of the blockade, it was necessary. We see it as somewhat late, because unfortunately, lives have been lost," said Lissa Claros, a lawmaker from the right-wing opposition Alianza Libre party. "We hope that with this, order and peace can be restored throughout the national territory."
Some opposition lawmakers have warned the state of emergency could further ratchet up tensions, while analysts and legal experts have also said the emergency powers could deepen unrest if they lack public support and fail to address the underlying causes of the protests.
The government said the measure is necessary to end the crisis.
"This is not a state of emergency to restrict people’s lives ... It is a state of emergency to give freedom back to the people, to free Bolivia from those who use political conflict to block roads and harm the population," Paz said.
In a statement, the defense ministry said there were no curfews, but that the government was assessing "extraordinary measures" for "sensitive" parts of the country, which would include temporary restrictions on movement and limitations on gatherings.
Bolivia's mining ministry said in a statement that the country's mines were operating normally.
Paz made his announcement hours after he unveiled a deal struck on Friday with the main union, the Bolivian Workers’ Confederation (COB), that aimed to ease tension.
However, many roads connecting the South American nation's main production center are under the control of rural associations aligned with Morales, who were not a part of the negotiations and are continuing to protest mainly in the area of Cochabamba.
While the order takes effect immediately, the president must notify Congress of the state of emergency within 24 hours of issuing the decree. Congress then has up to 72 hours to approve or reject the measure.
ROOTS OF THE UNREST
The conflict erupted after Paz abruptly cut longstanding fuel subsidies to shrink the deficit, amid a worsening dollar crunch and talks with the International Monetary Fund. Despite later steps to stabilize fuel prices and reverse unpopular land reforms, protests intensified into broader discontent, with unions demanding wage increases, an end to fuel and dollar shortages, and Paz’s resignation.
Paz has been in power for seven months, after nearly two decades of governments under the leftist Movement Toward Socialism (MAS), headed by Morales, who governed Bolivia from 2006 to 2019.
Under Bolivian law, a president can be subject to a recall referendum after completing 2-1/2 years in office.
Paz, who took office with the backing of President Donald Trump as part of a broader strategy to increase U.S. influence in the hemisphere, has blamed Morales — a prominent figure of the left who governed for nearly 14 years — for stoking the unrest.
Morales has backed the protest movement, called for early elections and cast the unrest as resistance to Paz's economic policies. In an exclusive interview with Reuters this week, Morales denied any role in instigating dissent, saying the “indigenous rebellion” was driven by economic hardship.
(Reporting by Cassandra Garrison and Monica Machicao in La Paz; Additional reporting by Daniel Ramos; Writing by Cassandra Garrison and Brendan O'Boyle; Editing by Clarence Fernandez, Mark Potter, Alexandra Hudson, Rod Nickel)
