Bolivian president declares state of emergency amid protests

Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz has declared a state of emergency following weeks of protests demanding his resignation. The move grants Paz broader powers to clear road blockades that have caused severe shortages of essential goods and paralyzed large parts of the country.

In a statement, the president said the state of emergency would "free the country's roads" and "restore" normalcy. Under Bolivian law, Congress must approve or reject the measure within 72 hours.

The blockades, led by miners, farmers, and indigenous groups, are part of protests that began in late April. Several people have died and hundreds have been arrested during the unrest.

Protesters are calling for the reinstatement of fuel subsidies, a rollback of austerity measures, and President Paz's resignation. Paz has described the crisis as an organized attempt to destabilize the nation. "Bolivians cannot continue to be hostages of blockades that prevent working, studying, receiving medical attention, supplying themselves, and bringing sustenance to their homes," he wrote on social media on Saturday.

The announcement came hours after Paz revealed a deal with the country's main union, the Bolivian Workers' Confederation. However, some indigenous groups have said they will continue protesting, with roadblocks still in place.

The protests were sparked in late April by a land reform proposed by Paz, which critics argued would allow large landowners to buy up small properties. Paz has since scrapped the reform, but farmers were joined by other groups angered by measures such as cuts to long-standing fuel subsidies and proposed constitutional changes.

Paz, a centre-right politician elected last October, says these changes are needed to open the economy to private investment. Protesters argue they would undermine oversight of natural resources and other key sectors.

Paz has accused former left-wing president Evo Morales of orchestrating the protests, which Morales denies. Paz has tried to defuse the unrest by reshuffling his cabinet, halving his salary and those of his ministers, and creating a council to negotiate with disaffected groups. However, these measures have failed to quell the protests.

Last month, Congress passed a bill making it easier for the president to declare a state of emergency and deploy soldiers to suppress protests.