Teachers in Bolivia have joined the protests and suspended school classes, demanding a salary increase.

Reference image of riot police during a protest in La Paz. There are multiple fronts of social conflict in Bolivia. In addition to the blockades by the La Paz peasant federation, this Monday saw a teachers' strike that led to the suspension of classes, demanding salary increases, educational resources, and other issues related to working conditions and the functioning of the education system. Urban teachers announced that the strike would last 24 hours and would be accompanied by marches and blockades; in rural areas, classes will be suspended for two days. Regarding their demands, the government ruled out salary increases but stated that it has proposals for the sector. In this regard, the Minister of Education, Beatriz García, called for dialogue with urban and rural teachers for this Tuesday at 3:00 PM and urged them to prioritize students' right to education over protests. "A lost day of classes cannot be recovered," she lamented. The teachers' protest coincides with that of the Túpac Katari Peasant Federation of La Paz, with the support of the Bolivian Workers' Central (COB), which is entering its second week of "indefinite" road blockades. According to a report from the Bolivian Road Administration, there are 34 points of blockade due to social conflicts, most of them concentrated in the western part of the country. On May 1st, the Bolivian Workers' Central held a meeting to discuss government policies. REUTERS/Claudia Morales. The initial reason for the protest was the repeal of a law that authorizes the conversion of land and definitive solutions to the fuel problem. However, in recent days, the pressure tactic has intensified, and some leaders are demanding the resignation of President Rodrigo Paz. In this context, the government convened authorities, political actors, and social sectors from La Paz for a meeting called "Meeting for the Development and Progress of the Department" this Monday. According to the Ministry of the Presidency, the meeting aims to be a space for "open dialogue to define projects and demands of each province," where issues related to production, fundamental works, and road infrastructure will be addressed. The past few weeks have been turbulent for the Paz administration, which completed six months in office on Friday. The protests by peasants and teachers were preceded by a mobilization of drivers who were demanding the regularization of diesel supply, guaranteeing the quality of fuel, and accelerating the payment of economic compensation for vehicle damage attributed to contaminated gasoline. A woman walks past tanker trucks that are blocking a road during a strike due to a diesel shortage in El Alto, Bolivia, on Monday, April 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Juan Karita). The government reached an agreement with transport leaders and had discussions with other sectors, such as the Single Confederation of Peasant Workers of Bolivia, with whom it pledged to promote the repeal of the law on land classification. However, indigenous people from the Amazonian departments of Beni and Pando remain on alert until the repeal of the law, after having marched for more than 25 days to demand its annulment. The pressure tactics have caused a shortage of some basic food items in the western region of the country and have disrupted land travel both nationally and internationally. Local media report that tourists are stranded in several regions due to the blockades, including approximately 300 Peruvians who are in La Paz, Oruro, and Uyuni, and who will be evacuated by air. According to calculations by the Ministry of Sustainable Tourism, Cultures, and Folklore, the blockade is causing losses of 20 million Bolivianos per day, equivalent to approximately 3 million US dollars.