A tense and tenuous calm fell over La Paz on Monday evening after a day rocked by violent clashes between protesters and police, despite Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz offering to slash his salary by 50 percent in an effort to end protests.
Even as clashes abated, there was no sign that protesters were prepared to clear the streets, with demonstrations likely to continue this week.
Protesters have blocked roads into La Paz for nearly a month, leading to shortages of food, fuel and medicine.
The US-backed, centre-right leader Paz has made various gestures aimed at ending the revolt that has exploded just six months into his presidency.
On Monday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva – a traditional ally of socialist former Bolivian president Evo Morales – spoke with Paz by phone and, according to a statement by the Brazilian president’s office, “reiterated his solidarity with the Bolivian government and people.”
Lula, one of the most well-known leftist leaders in Latin America, called for the protesters and the government to “prioritise dialogue as a way to overcome differences,” while agreeing to send humanitarian aid to the country.
The US and Argentina have similarly offered assistance to deal with the shortages in recent weeks.
The demonstrations have become radicalised since trade unions began protesting in early May for salary increases, stable fuel supplies and sounder economic management.
One of your browser extensions seems to be blocking the video player from loading. To watch this content, you may need to disable it on this site.
Inflation in Bolivia hit 14 percent year-over-year in April.
Speaking in the southeastern city of Sucre, the president said he had decided “as part of his efforts and commitment to the country, to reduce his salary by 50 percent.”
His monthly salary is currently set at around 24,000 bolivianos ($3,500), one of the lowest of any Latin American leader but about eight times that of the average Bolivian, according to 2024 statistics from the International Labor Organization.
Despite the gesture, on Monday the police again clashed with protesters after thousands of miners, farmers, factory workers and other groups marched through the city for the third time in a week.
“What do we want? For him to resign! When? Now!” the demonstrators shouted as they marched down the mountain to central La Paz from the predominantly Indigenous neighbouring city of El Alto.
The rioting began when the protesters attempted to break through police lines near parliament.
The police responded with tear gas.
Humanitarian corridor
Paz’s previous attempts at outreach, including his firing of an unpopular labor minister and promises to give trade unions and Indigenous groups more of a say in policy-making, failed to take the heat out of the protests.
On Saturday, police attempting to clear a “humanitarian corridor” through roadblocks leading to La Paz clashed for hours with demonstrators armed with stones and sticks.
On Monday, Paz, a trained economist from a political family, again appealed for dialogue with organisations representing the protesters while denouncing demonstrators who resorted to violence.
His election last year marked an end to two decades of socialism launched in the mid-2000s by Morales, Bolivia’s first Indigenous leader.
Since coming to power, 58-year-old Paz has attempted to tackle the root cause of the economic crisis – a shortage of currency caused by generous fuel subsidies – but has failed to stabilise fuel supplies or end surging inflation.
Morales, who made a failed comeback bid last year despite being wanted by police on charges of trafficking a minor, on Sunday called for Paz to hold new elections within 90 days.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
