Bolivia Roadblocks Clear as Air Force Crash Claims Six Lives

The Cessna FAB-409 went down in a remote mountainous area of the Cochabamba department while flying from El Alto. The Ministry of Defense confirmed that all four civilians and two crew members aboard perished. Though the ministry did not specify the flight’s immediate mission, the aircraft had been instrumental in transporting children with cancer to medical facilities during the weeks-long blockades that paralyzed the country.

Progress on the ground remains fragile. President Rodrigo Paz secured legislative approval for a state of emergency, which authorizes military intervention to clear supply routes and restore the flow of food, fuel, and medicine. Following the vote, the Tupac Katari campesino federation in La Paz agreed to a tactical pause in their demonstrations. In Santa Cruz, officials successfully negotiated the removal of a critical blockade in the town of San Julian. Despite these gains, 28 roadblocks remain across the country. The unrest, initially sparked by the government’s decision to slash fuel subsidies, has evolved into a broader coalition of demands including wage hikes and the president’s resignation. Former President Evo Morales reported that his political stronghold in the Tropic of Cochabamba is currently facing severe infrastructure failures, including power outages and restricted banking access.