the country for over six weeks. Unions, Indigenous groups, and coca farmers have been marching and blocking roads with rubble and debris to protest the conservative government, causing acute shortages of fuel, food, and medicine in major cities. The economy has lost billions, and the unrest threatens to topple Bolivia's first non-socialist government in two decades.

In a predawn televised address, Paz warned protesters they would face "the full force of the law" as he moved to end the crisis. The state of emergency curbs the right to protest and authorizes military deployment domestically. Hours later, squads of soldiers and armed police were seen moving in convoy through El Alto as bulldozers cleared roadblocks. Some residents applauded, with one shopkeeper expressing relief after "50-some days" of difficulty. In La Paz, military police and navy personnel guarded the presidential palace.

"Bolivians cannot continue to be held hostage by blockades", Paz posted, insisting the emergency aims to restore normalcy, not remove it. Protesters demand Paz abandon liberal economic reforms and resign, less than a year after his election. While the Bolivian Workers' Central union agreed to end protests in exchange for talks and a promise not to privatize state companies, some Indigenous groups have vowed to continue. Over 40 major roadblocks remain. "We want him gone", said Aymara leader Lidia Callisaya. (Bssnews)