22 Jan 2018 | 08:54 PM UTC
Bolivia: Nationwide general strike January 23 /update 3
Nationwide general strike and protest marches to take place on January 23; avoid all protests
Event
A nationwide general strike and associated protest marches are expected to take place on Tuesday, January 23. The indefinite strike and protests are being organized by the COB (Central Obrera Boliviana) and civil society organizations to protest the government’s proposed changes to the penal code, despite those changes being rescinded by the government. Additionally, they are demanding that President Evo Morales not be allowed to run for a fourth consecutive term in 2019. During the general strike, workers will likely erect roadblocks and block major intersections in cities nationwide. Additionally, a large protest march is expected to take place around La Paz, beginning in the La Ceja area in nearby El Alto, and finishing at the Plaza Murillo in the capital. Additional demonstrations are likely to occur nationwide in the coming days. Major transportation disruptions are to be anticipated for the duration of the strikes and associated violence is possible.
Context
Bolivian civic groups and unions frequently erect roadblocks as a form of protest. The country's mountainous terrain means that few roads exist to connect major cities and therefore roadblocks serve as especially effective bargaining tools in negotiations. Violence at roadblocks is not rare.
In November 2017, the Constitutional Court (Tribunal Constitucional Plurinacional; TCP) cleared the way for President Morales to run for a fourth consecutive term in elections scheduled for 2019, and thus potentially remain in office until 2025. The ruling annulled the “no” results of a constitutional referendum held in February 2016 in a bid to remove presidential term limits. Morales - who has been in power since 2006 - had claimed the referendum failed due to an illegal smear campaign. The opposition immediately denounced the ruling.
Advice
Individuals present in Bolivia are advised to avoid all protests, never attempt to cross a roadblock without authorization due to the potential for violence, and allow for additional time to reach their destinations while strikes are ongoing.
