Bolivia showed initial signs of easing its social crisis on Sunday, following a declaration of a state of emergency by President Rodrigo Paz aimed at ending widespread blockades that disrupted transportation and supply chains across the country. The emergency decree, approved overwhelmingly by the Legislative Assembly on Sunday, seeks to restore the flow of goods and services after nearly two months of protests that blocked major highways, notably strangling deliveries of food, fuel, and medicine.

The vote in Congress coincided with significant developments on the ground. In Santa Cruz, local officials and protest representatives reached an agreement to lift a key blockade in San Julian, a strategic location affected by demonstrations. Additionally, a prominent campesino federation based in La Paz announced a temporary halt to its protests, although it maintained that its underlying demands remained unresolved.

Despite the suspension of active blockades, officials noted that many roads still require considerable cleanup and repair following damage sustained during the unrest. Although police and military personnel remain deployed to maintain order, the national highway authority confirmed that no ongoing roadblocks remained as of Sunday.

The crisis began after Paz, who assumed office in November, took the unpopular step of cutting longstanding fuel subsidies as part of broader efforts to reduce the budget deficit amid a deepening dollar shortage and negotiations with the International Monetary Fund. Subsequent government measures to stabilize fuel prices and halt contentious land reforms failed to quell dissent. Protesters’ demands escalated to include wage increases, resolution of fuel and currency shortages, and calls for President Paz’s resignation, leading to the protracted standoff that paralyzed much of the country’s infrastructure and economy.

Authorities face ongoing challenges in addressing both the material aftermath of the protests and the political grievances underlying the unrest as Bolivia moves toward restoring normalcy.