Bolivia: Agreement Between Government and Main Trade Union Eases Social Crisis

Saturday 20 June 2026 - 12:08

After more than six weeks of mobilization and tensions across the country, the Bolivian government and the Bolivian Workers' Central (COB) have reached an agreement aimed at ending part of the protest movement that has shaken the country since the beginning of May.

Signed on Friday, this agreement marks an important milestone in managing the deepest economic and social crisis Bolivia has faced in decades. It provides for the suspension of nationwide protest actions led by the country's main trade union organization while paving the way for new negotiations regarding the protesters' demands.

The protest movement, initiated by the COB, denounced the government's lack of responses to the deteriorating economic situation. Demonstrations and roadblocks have caused major disruptions in several regions, leading to shortages of food, medicine, and fuel, particularly in La Paz and the neighboring city of El Alto.

At the end of the discussions, COB General Secretary Mario Argollo announced the lifting of pressure measures nationwide and the establishment of a dialogue framework aimed at supporting the country's economic recovery.

For his part, President Rodrigo Paz defended a collaborative approach, asserting that dialogue should remain the primary tool for resolving social conflicts.

The agreement includes the maintenance of the public nature of state-owned enterprises, a central demand of the unions. It also establishes working groups comprising government representatives and union leaders to examine several priority issues, including the situation of individuals arrested during clashes with law enforcement.

According to data provided by the Ombudsman, over a hundred people have been detained since the start of the protests.

Despite this progress, the crisis is far from fully resolved. Several peasant organizations and groups representing indigenous populations have rejected the agreement, claiming that their demands have not been sufficiently addressed.

Coca growers from Chapare, a region historically associated with former President Evo Morales, have also announced the continuation of their mobilization and a hardening of roadblocks.

The number of blockades has, however, decreased in recent days, dropping from over a hundred to about half, according to authorities.

The government regularly accuses Evo Morales of encouraging the protests, an implication that COB leadership continues to deny.

The executive now has a deadline of 90 days to provide concrete responses to the social and economic demands put forth by the unions.

Beyond the signed agreement, the challenge for Rodrigo Paz's government will be to restore trust in a context marked by high social pressure, a recent political transition, and growing expectations for economic recovery.