LA PAZ, Bolivia: Bolivia's crisis became worse on the weekend when President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency. This allows the military to be deployed more widely to remove roadblocks and restore order after protests have shut down the economy for the past 50 days.

The emergency order grants Paz additional constitutional powers to restore order, including the authority to deploy armed forces to clear blockades. The order takes effect immediately, but the president must inform Congress within 24 hours. Congress then has up to 72 hours to approve or reject it.

Protest groups, many linked to former leftist President Evo Morales, have blocked key roads. This has left trucks stuck and disrupted the supply of food, fuel, and medicines to many places, including La Paz.

The conflict started when Paz suddenly removed long-standing fuel subsidies to reduce the budget deficit, during a worsening shortage of U.S. dollars and talks with the International Monetary Fund. Even though he later tried to control fuel prices and reverse unpopular land reforms, protests grew into wider public anger. Unions are now demanding higher wages, an end to fuel and dollar shortages, and Paz's resignation.

Paz announced the emergency in a live national address, just hours after revealing a deal made on Friday with the main union, the Bolivian Workers' Confederation (COB), aimed at reducing tensions.

However, many roads linking the country's main production center are still controlled by rural groups aligned with Morales. These groups were not part of the talks and continue to protest, mainly in the Cochabamba region.

Paz said the situation has turned into an organized effort to weaken democracy after weeks of violence and road blockades. He said the state of emergency is meant to restore order, protect citizens, and ensure essential goods can move freely. He also warned that those who continue to cause disruptions will face legal action.

"This is not a state of emergency to restrict people's lives," Paz said. "It is a state of emergency to give freedom back to the people, and to free Bolivia from those who use political conflict to block roads and harm the population."