Overview
- At least four police officers were hurt in clashes near Plaza Murillo, where authorities blocked access and detained a miner accused of using explosives.
- President Rodrigo Paz’s Dec. 18 decree ended nearly 20 years of fuel subsidies, shifting gasoline and diesel to import-cost pricing after state-set rates of about $0.53 per liter.
- Consumer fuel costs have surged by nearly 200%, and the Human Rights Ombudsman's Office documented fare increases that in many cases doubled or tripled across several regions.
- The Central Obrera Boliviana led strikes and marches with miners and coca growers, and union leaders pledged to continue mobilizations until the decree is repealed.
- Some transport unions stayed out after concessions such as duty-free auto parts and a 20% minimum-wage increase, while business groups endorsed the move to reduce a subsidy bill estimated at up to $3 billion annually.