The president of BoliviaRodrigo Paz, and the Bolivian Workers’ Central (COB) reached an agreement this Friday to “pacify” the country after seven weeks of conflict, although the peasant unions and sectors related to the former president Evo Morales They maintain roadblocks with which they demand the resignation of the ruler.
a weekly review of the latest Spanish-speaking news that has been published in different media outlets in Switzerland.
READ: Emmanuel Macron criticizes the “return centers” for migrants, and their support with EU funds
The agreement was signed by Paz and the top leader of the COB, miner Mario Argollo, after a meeting held hours before behind closed doors between a delegation of the union entity and five government ministers.
“From this moment on, pressure measures are being lifted at the national level, with a commitment from the Government to immediately comply with everything that has been signed,” Argollo declared to the media after the signing of the agreement at the Government House in La Paz.
Bolivian police officers arrest several men after clashes that occurred at a demonstration against President Rodrigo Paz in La Paz, on May 25, 2026. (MARVIN RECINOS / AFP)
/ MARVIN RECINOS
However, a rapprochement with the Departmental Federation of Peasants of La Paz is pending, which maintains the road blockades that began on May 6, and those close to Morales (2006-2019) also continue to be mobilized, who ruled out dialogue and insist on Paz’s resignation.
Argollo mentioned that the agreement “has defined deadlines of 90 days” for the Executive to fulfill its commitments, for which working groups were formed that will begin to operate from next Wednesday.
READ: EU calls for permanent cessation in Lebanon and welcomes start of agreement with Iran
One of the commitments, according to the leader, is the efforts for the release of protesters detained during the protests, something that was demanded by the COB to continue dialogue.
Faced with criticism from the farmers of La Paz for the dialogue with the Government, Argollo assured that he is not a “traitor” and justified that they did it “so that blood is not spilled” and that the state of emergency demanded by the sectors affected by the road blockades is not dictated.
“I say in a very fraternal way to all of you (the peasant unions), let’s go to dialogue, let’s not allow our country to suffer anymore and let’s not end up like the bad guys in the movie,” he added.
The president of Bolivia, Rodrigo Paz, shakes the hand of the leader of the Central Obrera Boliviana (COB), Mario Argollo, during the start of a meeting, at the Central Bank in La Paz, on June 17, 2026. (Luis Gandarillas / EFE)
/ Luis Gandarillas
During the event for the signing of the agreement, President Paz spoke of “reconciliation” and of generating “among all Bolivians a joint project that is popular, that has a broad sense of progress and that has the country above all.”
“Sometimes dialogue costs more, it is difficult to understand and interpret, but if we reach a meeting point, dialogue is stronger than force itself,” said Paz and acknowledged that his Government has things to “improve.”
READ: The controversial US$300 billion fund for Iran for peace: will the United States pay for it?
The COB and the Federation of Peasants of La Paz have been leading road blockades since the beginning of May to demand Paz’s resignation, later adding the support of sectors related to Evo Morales.
The conflict has caused shortages of food, fuel and medicinal oxygen in some cities and has left at least 16 dead, 13 of them due to lack of timely medical care due to the blockades, in addition to economic losses estimated at 3 billion dollars.
