Morales Loyalists Set La Paz Protest March for Tuesday
Supporters of former Bolivian president Evo Morales confirmed staggered protests and a march toward La Paz beginning Tuesday 13 October, despite a state of exception restricting road blockades. Police have deployed on highways in Cochabamba, and President Rodrigo Paz condemned calls for blockades. The demonstrations target diesel subsidy removal and plans to close or sell loss-making state companies, with possible delays for travellers and shippers.
The planned mobilization follows earlier Morales-aligned road closures that lasted 53 days in May and June, according to El Día, disrupting supply lines and damaging the economy. Organizers describe the new actions as phased and nonviolent, though they have not fixed a starting point; Caracollo, Patacamaya and La Huachaca were mentioned as possible launch points along the highland route toward La Paz.
Morales governed from 2006 to 2019 and retains support in Cochabamba’s Chapare coca-growing area. He faces an arrest warrant tied to prior protests, which he denies. The state of exception, extended for 90 days in September, limits road blockades, while the COB union federation is scheduled to meet on 15 October.
If the march proceeds, travellers, freight operators and residents along the La Paz–Cochabamba–Santa Cruz corridors may face checkpoints, slower deliveries and higher costs. Businesses dependent on steady transport could see renewed uncertainty, while security deployments might raise tensions. The outcome may also test whether the government can maintain order without deepening polarization. Union and rural groups’ decisions in coming days could shape whether disruptions remain limited or spread.