Bolivia's defense and education ministers resigned on Tuesday, authorities confirmed, as weeks of protests demanding President Rodrigo Paz step down continue to escalate. The departures mark the latest escalation in a deepening political crisis that has paralyzed major cities and threatens Paz's government.
Workers, farmers, miners, transport workers, and teachers are demanding measures to ease the country's worst economic crisis in four decades. Paz, who has been backed by US President Donald Trump, warned that Bolivia is at a "breaking point." The government has refused to rule out declaring a state of emergency and using the military to control the demonstrations.
"Yes, this information is confirmed," a Defense Ministry source said, confirming Marcelo Salinas' departure from the defense ministry but requesting anonymity. Bolivian media reported that Salinas was replaced by Ernesto Justiniano, a junior minister who acts as the country's anti-drug tsar. Education Minister Beatriz Garcia also resigned, her ministry said.
Roadblocks and Shortages
About 100 road blockades have been reported nationwide, nearly double the number two weeks ago, according to official data. The roadblocks have triggered shortages of food, medicine, and fuel in La Paz, neighboring El Alto, and other cities, driving up prices of basic goods. The government has accused protesters of attempting to "alter the democratic order" and suggested former socialist president Evo Morales is driving the protests.
Morales, who is in hiding while facing charges of trafficking a teenage girl with whom he allegedly fathered a child, told AFP recently that Bolivians are furious because Paz oversees "a government that is utterly submissive" to Washington. "I am totally convinced this rebellion is against the neo-liberal model and the neo-colonial state," he said. Morales led Bolivia from 2006 to 2019 and fled to Mexico during a popular uprising against him after a disputed election, returning from exile in 2020.
Paz has attempted to quell protesters' fury by announcing he will cut his own salary in half in solidarity with the poor—a symbolic gesture since his monthly earnings come to around 24,000 bolivianos (€3,016). He has also vowed to give Indigenous groups and labor unions more of a say in policy-making and fired his unpopular labor minister, all to no avail.
Referendum as a Way Out?
Amid the political and social deadlock, some opposition figures have floated an alternative that until a few weeks ago seemed unlikely: bringing forward a recall referendum to decide whether Paz should remain in office. The proposal has gained momentum as the protests and roadblocks isolating La Paz and El Alto drag on, and as doubts grow over the government's ability to restore order. The proposal, promoted by opposition leaders and backed by some analysts as a way to resolve the crisis, calls for a referendum in the coming months so that Bolivians can decide Paz's fate.
This crisis in Bolivia comes as Europe faces its own challenges, including ongoing debates over energy policy and economic stability. For instance, Brussels is set to rebuke Rome over untargeted fuel duty cuts, highlighting the continent's struggle to balance economic relief with fiscal discipline. Meanwhile, Inditex has posted strong Q1 sales growth, defying geopolitical and economic headwinds, showing that some sectors remain resilient.
The situation in Bolivia underscores the fragility of governments facing prolonged economic turmoil, a lesson that resonates globally. As protests continue, the international community watches closely, with potential implications for regional stability and trade.
