Bolivia: Activists plan protests in Potosi Department Nov. 15 to press government for earlier census

Event

Activists associated with the Potosinist Civic Committee (Comite Civico Potosinista) plan to demonstrate throughout Potosi Department Nov. 15 to press the government to hold the national census in 2023. The action is in support of a larger movement centered in Santa Cruz that has been agitating for several weeks.

Heightened security is likely throughout Potosi Department. The protests will likely involve road blocks, possibly at the border with Chile, causing disruptions to ground transport and businesses dependent on trucking goods. Demonstrations may also occur in front of government buildings. Clashes involving police, activists, and counterprotesters are possible.

Potosi Department is approximately 21 km (13 miles) southwest of Sucre, Chuquisaca Department.

Context

The purpose of the action is to demand that a national census be taken earlier than the government's current plan for a census in mid-2024; certain regional entities believe the delay in the national census is detrimental to their region. The census was originally scheduled for November 2022. The government's recent announcement that it continues to plan for a census in 2024 will give opposition groups an incentive to continue or intensify their protests.

Advice

Avoid all protests as a precaution. Allow additional traveling time. Do not attempt to drive through roadblocks; wait for the police to clear them instead. If violence occurs, immediately leave the area and seek shelter in a nongovernmental building. Heed the instructions of security personnel. Reconfirm the status of border crossings before departure.