Anti-government protests and road blockades have paralyzed Bolivia for more than five weeks, as demonstrators call for the resignation of center-right President Rodrigo Paz. Approximately 100 blockades across the Andean nation have disrupted transport routes and caused severe shortages of food and medicine in major cities.
Violence escalated on Saturday in eastern Bolivia, where police clashed with rural workers during attempts to clear a road blockade. Reports indicate that gunfire during the confrontation wounded four police officers.
In response to the ongoing instability and economic strain, Bolivia's lower house approved a bill easing requirements for declaring states of emergency. President Paz has since signed a measure that grants him the power to use the military to clear roadblocks and implement a more aggressive crackdown on the anti-government demonstrations.