Bolivia: Cochabamba Road Reopens After 12 Days of Blockades

Cochabamba Blockades End, But Economic Losses Linger Cochabamba, Bolivia – After twelve days of road blockades in Cochabamba, Bolivia, the route to the west has reopened. The event caused significant disruption to transportation and businesses. The reopening followed the deployment of police and military personnel to secure the area. A reporter from Red Uno spoke with Jorge Zamora, who reported from Parotani, noting the presence of police and military to prevent further blockades. The western route, from Parotani to Sayari, is now under police and military guard. However, the blockades continue to impact travel to other regions. Isabel Rocavado, reporting from the Cochabamba bus terminal, confirmed that while western routes have reopened, travel to the east and south remains restricted. "Due to ongoing blockades in these sectors, travel to the east and south is still not possible," Rocavado stated. The bus terminal is seeing increased activity as people are able to travel to the west. The economic impact of the blockades has been significant. Tito Navia, president of the Cochabamba Hotel Association, reported losses of approximately 9 million Bolivianos. "Hoteliers are in a state of agony," Navia said, highlighting the severe financial strain on the industry. The association is working with employees to mitigate the effects of the crisis. Despite the ongoing challenges, the reopening of the western route represents a step towards normalcy in Cochabamba. The situation highlights the importance of maintaining open communication channels and finding peaceful resolutions to social conflicts.