Description: Bolivia’s Defense Minister, Marcelo Salinas, resigned effective immediately after a month of persistent civic unrest in the country. Education Minister, Beatriz Garcia also submitted her resignation since President Rodrigo Paz announced earlier last month that he would reorganize his cabinet to attempt and sway the effects of the protests. The protests began a month ago when workers started striking en masse and were accompanied by other people who raised several blockades in and around the cities of La Paz and El Alto. The protests focused around preventing President Paz of imposing austerity measures and forcing him to reform the domestic economic situation due to high cost of living expenses. The President announced last week that due to the high level of unrest he might deploy the military on the streets of El Alto and La Paz.
Impact: The protests are highly likely a public reflection of the dire economic state of Bolivia and are further inflamed by the losing side of last year’s presidential elections. President Paz has undertaken severe reformist measures to quell the impact of the dire economic status of the country which would unlikely dissuade the protesters in the short to mid – term. Doubling down on his crackdown, Paz likely risks intensification and a potential nationwide spread of the protest movement which would plunge the country into further turmoil. Currently there are no prospects for establishing a dialogue between the incumbent government and the protesters, which likely signals prolonged civil and political crisis. The situation would likely stagnate in the immediate term with high potential of escalating in the short to mid – term.