A New Wave of Protests Puts Bolivia’s Paz on Thin Ice
Recent protests in Bolivia have escalated tensions between artisanal miners and police. The use of dynamite during these demonstrations, while common in Bolivia, complicates the situation and makes de-escalation difficult. Despite the historical context, the presence of explosives in protests raises concerns about public safety.
- ▪Artisanal miners have clashed with police during protests in La Paz.
- ▪Dynamite is often used in protests in Bolivia, a practice that dates back decades.
- ▪The use of explosives is intended to attract attention rather than cause harm, but it increases tensions with security forces.
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ColumnThe Americas A New Wave of Protests Puts Bolivia’s Paz on Thin IceJames BosworthMay 18, 2026May 18, 2026Artisanal miners clash with police during a protest, in La Paz, Bolivia, May 14, 2026. (AP photo by Juan Karita) Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Email (Opens in new window) In the early 2000s, as a young analyst monitoring the news from around Latin America, I once rushed out an alert about explosions reported at a protest in Bolivia. I immediately received a dry reply from a more senior analyst: “Bolivian protesters often use dynamite due to the mining sector having it on hand.
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