Bolivia enacts law allowing military deployment in streets amid crisis
May 27 (UPI) -- Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz on Wednesday enacted a law restoring the executive branch's authority to deploy the military in the streets and simplifying procedures to declare a state of emergency, as the South American country faces a deep political and social crisis.
The legislation was fast-tracked through Bolivia's Plurinational Legislative Assembly after days of heated debate in both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies.
With the law taking effect following its publication in the Official Gazette, the armed forces are now fully authorized to conduct joint operations with the Bolivian National Police.
The measure repeals the so-called "Eva Copa Law," approved in 2020 during the rule of the leftist Movement Toward Socialism party, known as MAS, which required the executive branch to submit emergency decrees for review by the legislature.
The previous law also imposed a 60-day limit on states of emergency and established that military intervention could only be authorized if police forces had been overwhelmed and no other effective means existed to restore public order.
Bolivia has become one of South America's main centers of political instability in 2026. Paz took office just six months ago and is already facing calls to resign from opposition groups and sectors of civil society.
The United States government has expressed support for Paz and condemned the protests and road blockades, describing them as an attempted "coup" driven by an alliance between radical political groups and organized crime.
U.S. officials, including Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, warned that Washington would not allow the overthrow of Bolivia's legitimate authorities.
The U.S. administration also said the protests had created a "humanitarian crisis" because of shortages of food, fuel and medicine, arguing that the Bolivian government has a legitimate interest in restoring public order.
Paz's government has prioritized reopening the country's main highways, which have remained blocked for four consecutive weeks by mining unions, peasant organizations and neighborhood groups protesting the liberal economic policies promoted by the new administration, according to Bolivian media outlets El Deber and Unitel.
More than 50 active roadblocks continue to isolate the country's main western cities, causing critical shortages of food, fuel and medical supplies across Bolivia's principal urban centers linked by the national highway network, pushing social tensions to extreme levels.
Paz said his administration remains open to dialogue with groups presenting specific demands but ruled out negotiations with demonstrators calling for his resignation.
"I will not negotiate with vandals," Paz said, rejecting pressure from protest sectors aligned with former President Evo Morales.
In an effort to involve social groups in policymaking, Paz's administration created an Economic and Social Council with an advisory role. The body held its first meeting Wednesday, according to Bolivian newspaper La Razón.
Amid the crisis, Paz also announced a 50% salary reduction for himself and his Cabinet ministers, lowering his monthly salary to 12,489 bolivianos, or about $1,800.
The president said the austerity measure reflects a "deep commitment and sacrifice for the homeland" during Bolivia's economic difficulties. He added that the cuts would not affect other public sector professionals, arguing that the government must retain qualified personnel within the state administration.
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This story was originally published May 27, 2026 at 9:47 AM.