Live Updates from the Bolivia Protests

For background information about the Bolivia's current conflict, please see the previous post, "President Morales’s Christmas Gift to Bolivia: Double the Cost of Living," which explains the origins of the unrest. In this blog, I've documented the events stemming from Sunday afternoon's announcement regarding lifted petroleum subsidies. The updates below work their way up in chronological order with the most recent post un-italicized at the top.

Update Wed 12:16 PM:  THE RETURN TO NORMAL PRICES has gone rather smoothly.  Spending New Years Eve in a small mountain town, bus tickets there during the 'gas crisis' cost between 35bs - 50bs.  The return fare with the reinstated subsidy only cost 15bs.  While most prices have dropped back, bread in Cochabamba still hovers at their non-subsidized prices.  This has caused some minor marketplace skirmishes, but should soon similarly return to last month's prices.  If President Morales remains set on removing these subsidies, he will most likely do so in a gradual fashion, so as to not abruptly shock the economy.

In his speech to the public this past weekend, the President said, "We need the measure, but it is not appropriate.  I understand the recommendations of workers and social organizations...The blow was hard for the national economy, but we are responsible to the Bolivian people."

Update Fri 10:15 PM:  Happy New Year Bolivia! Univision reported that at 10:15 PM, President Evo Morales announced the reinstatement of the petroleum subsidies.  These will be signed into effect on Monday morning.  The people's voice has been heard!


Update Fri 10:15 AM: Traffic has resumed normalcy.  Cars flood streets again, which I hope means that buses will take us later to the town Coroico for New Years.  The worst appears to be over, but I'm still curious to see the political fallout and future implications of the riots and the price hikes.


In 2005, when Carlos Mesa was President, Mesa proposed a 10% petroleum price rise.  Evo Morales, then a powerful union leader, attacked Mesa, saying, "If he doesn't lift this mandate, Carlos Mesa will become Bolivia's biggest enemy."  Morales continued, "If the president doesn't listen to the people, we will force an early election."  Mesa caved into Evo's demands (article in Spanish).


Now, it's strange to watch Morales, the voice of the poor and indigenous make a 72% price rise in gasoline without similar opposition.  New grassroots leadership hasn't yet emerged to counter mandates like this from the president's office.  It also shows that with his previously strong convictions against such a decision, Evo's hands must be tied and the country must truly be struggling financially with unsustainable subsidies.  It will be interesting to see the continued fallout from the riots and from the gasoline changes.


Photo Recap of the Day:


(With surprisingly good resolution from my cellphone camera)

Burnt car on the barricade line while military police confront protesters.

Protesters organize while burning their own blockade further down the highway.

Roadblock line as left unattended during lunch break.
The charred remains of tires draw the El Alto-La Paz border.

Military Riot Police storm in on their motorcycles.

Tear Gas.  Enough said.

An SUV that tempted fate and ventured too close to the blockade.

Military police arrive as the eight lane tollbooths burn.

Update Thurs 10:44 PM: As the day progressed, the streets lightened up. Cars were no longer scarce by the time my brother arrived at four, although whenever a taxi passed, people still stopped them and launched rocks at the windows.  Protesters continued to block the entrance to the airport to cab drivers.  We found a taxi outside the airports boundaries who agreed to drive us through slow, windy back roads to La Paz.  We finally made it.


When we reached the city, I called my girlfriend Vivi who works on the governor's legal team.  She informed me that protesters had taken over the plaza in front of the presidential palace and began storming the government buildings.  All workers vacated the premises.


By night time, we were able to hail cabs with much less effort than earlier in the day.  Even though the protest seemed to be losing steam, it's still uncertain how Bolivian anger will carry over.  Tomorrow we plan to take a bus ride to a mountain town on the edge of the Amazon to celebrate New Years.  I hope we get there painlessly.


Update Thurs 1:29 PM: For my last trip to the blockade before my brother arrives, I watched in amazement as the rioters destroyed the highway tollbooths and then light them on fire.  Riot police showed up as an organized motorcycle gang and shot three rounds of teargas into the crowd.  When the mob dispersed, the military set up a police line, affronting the protesters.  Literally ten feet from the action, I watched as an officer picked up a rock off the ground, threw it at the protesters, then yelled, "They're throwing rocks! Attack!"  The police rushed the area occupied by the mob and people fled like scurrying mice.  Instead of chasing after the protesters and escalating the violence (which appeared to be on the brink of erupting, instigated by the riot police looking for a fight), the military police shot another three rounds of teargas into the crowd.  Instead of waiting by the front line for more skirmishes to transpire, I sought refuge again in the airport lobby.




Update Thurs 12:31 PM: I wandered back into the protests.  They now practically stretch up to the airport's entrance, but thankfully, the violence seems to have calmed down...at least for lunch break.  Looking out across the cities, tiny smoke stacks litter the skyline, seemingly rising from every other street corner.  While the smoke calmly reaches towards the clouds, lunch hour allowed everyone to relax for the moment.  At the smaller "militia" protests on the outskirts and side streets, tire fires act like bonfires as neighborhood groups sit to eat, chat, and drink beer (hopefully not a foreshadowing bad sign for later).  One of the "militias" even organized a pick-up fútbol game (I might try to join in if my brother's flight gets further delayed).  Closer to the center barricade, street vendors with push-carts feed the crowds. 

Although quiet for now, the thundering dynamite and fireworks still shake the desolate streets and I have yet to see a single store open for business.  As I returned back to the airport, a massive group marched towards the barricade, throwing rocks, yelling taunts, and denouncing the government.  Lunch break is over.

Update Thurs 10:38 AM: IT'S A WAR ZONE by the blockade.  I spent the past hour venturing down to by roadblock to see if we'll be able to cross on foot later in the day.  Dynamite explosions thundered sporadically through the air. A burning car and angry yelling marked the start of the protest (if only my cell phone took better pictures).  A cab driver who tried to drive too close to the barrier was pulled from his car, beaten, had his car kicked, and rocks thrown at the windshield.  A motorcyclist who tried to pass was turned back by the stone throwing mob.  People on foot were freely passing on the edges of the streets, while the crowd concentrated its hysteria on the military riot police awaiting orders in the divider in between the two directions of the street. I followed the stream of walkers across the barricade to the La Paz side of safety.  People  who crossed on foot were packing into military trucks like cattle or refugees to be transported to the city.

Just as I was ready to turn back and return to the airport, a panic stricken stampede ran towards La Paz away from the roadblock.  Things began turning violent as protesters from the over passing bridge began hailing larger stones and glass bottles towards the police, catching straggling walkers in the crossfire.  I followed a group who trekked through the rain gutter at the edge of the highway, which was thankfully dry, and crossed back across the El Alto border.  My brother and I will need to circumvent the blockade later when he arrives from his delayed flight.

As I walked back to the airport, the surrounding streets lay silently deserted, but the warzone blockade was quietly expanding.  Small streets were closed off by militia protestors burning tires and hauling stones to block traffic.  As they slowly crawl towards the airport, I just hope that we aren't seiged in this afternoon.  Getting back to La Paz will already be enough of an adventure.

Mobile Update Thurs 9:08 AM: The cab company called at 6:45. Last night´s blockade was lifted, but today it was already resuming.  All side streets connecting El Alto to La Paz were aready closed at this point in the morning, and protestors were already starting to take over the main highway.  We had to leave immediately.

As we drove down the highway, protestors already began occupying the street.  The four lanes were already blocked down to a single car passage.  Military police truck filled with officials waited on the edge of the designated area.  Our taxi crossed without any problems, but when I arrived at the airport, the driver refused to wait for me to pick up my brother.  He left me with the parting words, "The blockade will be fully up in less than five or ten minutes.  If I don't leave now, I won't get back."

Update Thurs 6:41 AM: Off to pick up my brother at the airport.  Found a cab company that said that they would take me to or through the blockade in El Alto.  The price is surprisingly low (from the usual 50bs to now only 65bs -- not the jump I was expecting).  Wish me luck.

Update Wed 8:59 PM: All public transportation is striking not solely because of the gas hikes.  President Morales mandated that all public transport can only raise their fares 30% instead of a 72% rise to coincide with the rise in gas prices.  Also, the banks' are shutting down tomorrow to avoid bank-runs. Already people are frantically withdrawing cash and the financial institutions announced that they will not be restocking ATMs until after the strikes subside.

Update Wed 5:39 PM: LA PAZ IS UNDER SEIGE!  The blockade has already begun, cutting off the nation's capital from its main transportation hub in El Alto.  Banks advised clients to take out whatever cash they will need for the remainder of New Years holiday.  Lines in front of ATMs, banks, and credit unions are already wrapping around street corners.  The national strike going to be big. 

Update Wed 2:31 PM: Tomorrow all public transportation services will go on strike.  Santa Cruz's strike will start tonight.  I have heard no indication of taxi drivers' involvement.

Update Wed 10:34 AM: I just got word that tomorrow morning there will be a blockade between the city of La Paz and the international airport in El Alto starting sometime between six and nine in the morning.  My brother is flying into Bolivia for New Years and is due to arrive at 6:25 AM.  This should be an interesting adventure...

Live Updates from the Bolivia Protests