Bolivia’s parliament has paved the way for a state of emergency declaration amid a crisis caused by weeks of road blockades across the South American country, according to a parliamentary statement.
The parliament initiated a law that would allow President Rodrigo Paz, who has been in office since November, to declare a state of emergency and also deploy the military to stabilize the situation.
With a large majority, lawmakers in the Chamber of Deputies late Tuesday also voted to repeal another law that had restricted the president's scope for such action. The Senate had already approved the new law.
The move was part of efforts to find a way out of the country’s crisis and avoid remaining "subjected to a small group that evades justice and the truth," lawmaker Alejandro Reyes said, referring to supporters of former president Evo Morales, who is seen as the main person responsible for the protests.
For almost a month, protesting miners, farmers and supporters of Morales have occupied access roads to La Paz and other cities.
This has led to shortages of food, fuel and everyday necessities. The protests are directed against rising living costs and Paz's economic policies. Some demonstrators are calling for his resignation.
Paz's election victory ended an almost two-decade era of left-wing governments in Bolivia, which was long shaped by the power struggle between Morales and his left-wing successor Luis Arce.
The South American country has been in a deep economic crisis for years, triggering frequent protests. Over the weekend, police forces tried to clear roadblocks to allow lorries and fuel tankers to pass.
Shortly afterwards, demonstrators set up new blockades, according to media reports. Traders in the capital, which has been particularly hard hit by the blockades, also protested on Tuesday against the roadblocks, which are affecting their daily lives and livelihoods.
They carried signs reading "La Paz wants peace and work."
