Following a lengthy negotiation lasting over 5 hours, truckers lifted the roadblocks on the La Paz-Oruro highway late last night. The blockade, which began on Monday, had caused significant traffic disruptions for several hours. However, police were able to establish a temporary lane for buses through Kaiwasi to leave the La Paz Bus Terminal in the afternoon, allowing departures to proceed.

Partial Success, Continued Discussions: While the truckers achieved progress on two of their five demands, a state of emergency remains. They secured the removal of specific customs personnel in Pasto Grande who were accused of misconduct towards truckers. Additionally, working groups will be established to address concerns regarding the imposition of penalties and increased fines.

However, the truckers’ three remaining demands – diesel shortages, the US dollar shortage, and tax issues – are still unresolved.

Future Actions in the Short Term Unlikely: The likelihood of further roadblocks by truckers in the coming days is low. While they raised concerns about diesel and dollar shortages, it’s possible these were used as leverage to address the removal of the customs officials.