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Trump admin backs Bolivia state of emergency as leftist ex-leader’s loyalists fracture nation
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The conservative, pro-U.S. government of President Rogrigo Paz is being challenged in the streets by radical elements led by a former socialist president recently forcing the new Bolivian government to introduce a state of emergency.
The landlocked mineral-rich nation is facing one of its deepest political crises in decades as economic turmoil, nationwide protests and a battle over the country’s future threaten to reshape the balance of power in South America.
The unrest comes after years of political divisions following the tenure of socialist President Evo Morales, whose Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) dominated Bolivian politics for nearly two decades. Internal fractures, economic decline and public frustration have weakened the movement and opened a new chapter of uncertainty.
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Bolivia’s President Rodrigo Paz delivers a speech in La Paz on June 3, 2026, after naming Ernesto Justiniano as defense minister following the resignation of Marcelo Salinas amid protests. (Claudia Morales/Reuters)
The Trump administration recently signaled strong backing for the Paz government while condemning efforts to destabilize the country.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States «Will not allow criminals and drug traffickers to overthrow democratically elected leaders in our hemisphere» and reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to Bolivia’s «stability, security, and a better future for all Bolivians.»
Speaking on background, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that, «The United States strongly supports President Rodrigo Paz’s decision on June 20 to declare a State of Exception to restore order and ensure the free flow of food, medicine, and essential supplies to the Bolivian people. We are glad that the blockades in Bolivia have ended and the government has restored order.»
Bolivia’s crisis has been driven by Morales and his supporters furious at the Paz reforms. Protests and road blockades have disrupted transportation, caused shortages and increased pressure on the Paz government.
José Luis Lupo, chief of staff and minister of the presidency of Bolivia told Fox News Digital: «After more than 50 days of blockades that severely disrupted the supply of food, fuel, and medicines, paralyzing much of the country’s economic activity and straining its democratic stability, I am convinced that Bolivia now faces a unique opportunity to transform a deep crisis into the starting point for a new phase of national reconstruction.»
26 June 2024, Bolivia, La Paz: Military police stand amid tear gas fired in front of the presidential palace on Plaza Murillo. (Photo by Radoslaw Czajkowski/picture alliance via Getty Images)
He noted that «for weeks, we sought agreements with various sectors because we believe that, in a democracy, every avenue for mutual understanding must be exhausted before resorting to extraordinary measures.»
He said the state of emergency [state of exception] «was the constitutional last resort to restore freedom of movement, protect critical infrastructure and ensure that Bolivians could once again access essential goods. It was not a measure intended to restrict rights, but rather to protect lives, preserve democracy and restore freedom of movement to millions of citizens.»
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The turmoil has also had consequences beyond Bolivia’s borders. The country holds some of the world’s largest lithium resources, a key mineral for electric vehicles, batteries and advanced technology supply chains. Competition for influence in resource-rich Latin America has become increasingly important for Washington as China and other global powers expand their presence in the region.
Bolivia’s political crisis reflects a broader trend across Latin America, where voters in the last few election cycles have elected conservatives who challenged the left’s business-as-usual politics and in doing so have taken the continent in a rightward direction.
The socialist Morales remains an influential figure and continues to command support among rural and indigenous groups, keeping Bolivia’s political divisions alive even as the country searches for a path out of the crisis.
Mauricio Ríos García, manager of Crusoe Research and editor of FRACTAL Index in Bolivia, told Fox News Digital, «The 50-day blockades have caused estimated losses of $2.5 billion and the closure of around 13,000 companies. Once the blockades end, a rebound in demand combined with excess liquidity is expected to drive inflation higher.»
A police convoy clears one of the main highways after Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency following 50 days of blockades, in El Alto, Bolivia, on June 20, 2026. (Jorge Mateo Romay Salinas/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Ríos said, «The government is nearing an IMF agreement that would likely include a new devaluation (exchange rate unification) and other adjustments in exchange for financing of around $3.3–5 billion. This marks growing dependence on the IMF and the United States, while the gradualist approach has left the economy with very little room for maneuver and risks further instability.
«Expectations for Bolivia’s economy in the second half of the year have been revised downward. Blockades and deeper structural problems rooted in the government’s gradualist fiscal and monetary policies have worsened the difficult inheritance from the previous administration,» he concluded.
COLOMBIA’S ‘EL TIGRE’ SECURES PRESIDENCY AS LEFTIST RIVAL FINALLY CONCEDES DEFEAT
For Washington, Bolivia’s future represents more than a domestic political dispute. The outcome could influence America’s strategic position in the Western Hemisphere, the future of critical minerals, and whether Latin America’s recent political shift continues moving away from the left-wing movements that dominated parts of the region during the last two decades.
«I am convinced that stability will only endure if it is accompanied by inclusion. There can be no peace where neglect and inequality persist. That is why we are driving a development agenda for historically marginalized regions, particularly the provinces of La Paz, focused on infrastructure, basic services, productive development and the participation of the communities themselves,» Lupo said.
And as the barricades have lessened, Lupo, chief of staff and minister of the presidency of Bolivia, says, «A different phase is now beginning. I believe the country needs a broad political and social agreement involving the government, parliamentary forces, the regions, the productive sector, and civil society. Bolivia needs to pass reforms that provide legal certainty, promote investment, and modernize strategic sectors such as hydrocarbons, mining, lithium, renewable energy and the justice system. Such consensus is essential to restoring confidence, stabilizing the economy and generating sustainable growth.
«I hope to see Bolivia definitively replace confrontation with dialogue, strengthen its institutions, and build a more robust economy characterized by clear rules, democratic stability and greater opportunities for all,» Lupo concluded.
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The Trump administration had increased emergency humanitarian assistance to help address food and medical shortages caused by weeks of unrest, underscoring U.S. concerns that prolonged instability could have broader implications for regional security and democracy.
latin america, south america, state department, socialism, world protests
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WATCH: Maryland Dems defend ‘big tent’ party as New York socialist surge fuels Dem divide
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Maryland Democrats rejected the idea that New York’s socialist surge in primary victories signals a broader Democratic divide, insisting the races are a reflection of individual districts rather than a national shift as the party looks ahead to the midterm elections.
«We have a big tent party, that’s what it says,» Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said when asked what New York’s election results mean for Democrats.
«This is a democracy,» he continued. «You’re going to have lots of perspectives. It’s up to the voters to decide, and they did.»
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The comments come after three far-left candidates won New York Democratic primaries, including two who defeated sitting Democratic incumbents, fueling debate over whether the victories signal growing influence and intraparty division heading into November’s midterms.
«I’m all about new leadership,» Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., told Fox News Digital when asked about New York’s election results.
Several Maryland Democrats argued the results reflected the unique politics of individual New York districts rather than a broader ideological shift within the Democratic Party.
«I think it’s very reflective of the district,» former U.S. Capitol Police Officer and former Maryland congressional candidate Harry Dunn said.
He continued, «I think we’ve got to be careful applying what happened in New York to everywhere around the country.»
WATCH: KELLYANNE CONWAY INSISTS SOCIALIST PRIMARY VICTORIES DON’T REFLECT AMERICAN VALUES NATIONWIDE
Former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn speaks during a protest outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on June 2, 2026, against President Donald Trump’s IRS settlement and the «Anti-Weaponization Fund.» (Kent Nishimura/AFP via Getty Images)
Other Maryland Democrats stressed the need to respect voters’ choices in their own districts, even when they disagree with the candidates who won.
«I don’t agree with all the things they’ve said,» Rep. Johnny Olszewski, D-Md., said about the socialist candidates in New York. «I don’t agree with all their positions, but I respect what the voters have done in New York. That’s not reflective of the entire country.»
«Every district determines who they want,» Rep. Kweisi Mfume, D-Md., said. «We may not like it. Some people didn’t want me in. So you have to respect what a district, a congressional district, does. It’s still the rule of the people.»
But as the party strives to regain control in Congress, some moderate Democrats have sought to distance themselves from socialism and the party’s leftward push.
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville condemned some of the radical views of the newly nominated Democratic candidates, particularly Darializa Avila Chevalier — a member of Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) — who ousted five-term Democrat Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y.
«She has attacked interracial relationships and the American flag. Lady, I ain’t in the same party as you. I’m sorry,» Carville said in an episode of his podcast, Politics War Room.
He continued, «Everybody’s always said, ‘No, no, we’re a coalition. We’re a big tent. And there’s some – there’s just some s— that I can’t be in the same tent with.»
JAMES CARVILLE SAYS SOCIALIST DEMOCRAT SHOULDN’T BE IN THE PARTY, CALLS HER VIEWS ‘A BRIDGE TOO FAR’
Veteran Democratic strategist James Carville claims Trump won’t be president next year. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for SCAD)
«I’m a capitalist, not a socialist,» Rep. Thomas Suozzi, D-N.Y., previously told Fox News Digital regarding his views on the New York Democratic candidates. «And I believe in safety, not lawlessness. And I’m proud of America. I’m not ashamed of America.»
Raskin, however, defended the progressivism within his party, arguing the new wave of socialism the Democratic Party is seeing is not consistent with traditional values held by socialists.
«When people say they’re socialists today, I don’t think that they believe in dialectical materialism and dictatorship of the proletariat and classical Marxian socialism,» Raskin said. «I think what they believe is much greater equality and reduction of all the class differences that have grown up under Trump and the plutocrats.»
Republicans have increasingly pointed to the Democratic Party’s move toward socialist principles as a crux in campaigning to hold both their control of the Senate and razor-thin majority in the House.
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Most Democratic lawmakers seem to be urging their party to focus on gaining control in Congress in the upcoming midterm elections, regardless of their feelings toward some of the ideology fueling new candidates within the party.
«In a perfect world, everybody should come together — Democratic socialists, moderates,» Dunn said. «Everybody should come together and work together to represent everybody and not just the people who elected them.»
democratic party, politics, midterm elections, state and local primaries, maryland
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Nearly 100 monkeys escape enclosure, invade neighborhoods as officials scramble to recapture them
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Nearly 100 monkeys ran loose through neighborhoods in central Thailand after escaping from a government-run enclosure overnight, prompting authorities to launch a large-scale effort to capture the animals.
Officials said nearly 100 monkeys broke through part of an enclosure at the Lopburi Municipality Animal Nursery.
The monkeys were being housed under the care of local authorities after being transferred from Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation. Workers were able to prevent more than 1,000 other monkeys at the facility from escaping.
MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER, RELEASED AFTER ALLEGEDLY FORCING TODDLER INTO CROCODILE ENCLOSURE AT ZOO
Captured monkeys eat fruit during the annual Monkey Banquet at Lopburi Zoo in Lopburi, Thailand, on Nov. 24, 2024. Authorities launched a large-scale effort after nearly 100 monkeys escaped from a nearby government-run enclosure. (Anusak Laowilas/NurPhoto)
Provincial officials, wildlife authorities and municipal workers searched nearby residential areas Tuesday after the escape.
Authorities used food-baited cages to lure some of the escaped monkeys back into custody. Other monkeys, including some of the larger and more dominant macaques, had to be subdued with tranquilizer darts before they could be captured.
Crews repaired the damaged enclosure while officials continued efforts to recapture the escaped monkeys.
MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER, RELEASED AFTER ALLEGEDLY FORCING TODDLER INTO CROCODILE ENCLOSURE AT ZOO
Monkeys wait to be fed inside an enclosure during the annual Monkey Banquet at Lopburi Zoo in Lopburi, Thailand, on Nov. 24, 2024. Authorities launched a large-scale operation after nearly 100 monkeys escaped from a municipal enclosure in the city. (Anusak Laowilas/NurPhoto)
Lopburi Gov. Weeraphong Ritrod said the damaged enclosure had been repaired and reinforced to help prevent additional escapes.
He said officials also plan to build a more secure, double-layer enclosure designed to keep dominant monkeys from breaking out in the future.
The governor said the province is also preparing to establish a foundation to help support food costs and improve the monkeys’ welfare.
FLORIDA WOMAN MAULED TO DEATH BY DOGS THAT HAD ALLEGEDLY TERRORIZED NEIGHBORHOOD, OWNER CHARGED IN KILLING
A captured monkey sits inside a cage during a sterilization program at the Monkey Hospital in Lopburi province, Thailand, on June 21, 2020. Officials have worked for years to manage Lopburi’s macaque population after the animals caused problems for residents and businesses. (Anusak Laowilas/NurPhoto)
Mayor Chamroen Salacheep said the monkeys may have escaped because of hunger, extreme heat, overcrowding or their natural instinct to roam.
He also apologized to residents affected by the incident and encouraged anyone whose property was damaged to report it so authorities could assess the damage and determine what assistance may be available.
Lopburi has long been known for its large population of free-roaming macaques.
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The monkeys have also caused problems for residents and businesses because of property damage and aggressive behavior. Authorities have worked in recent years to reduce the monkey population through sterilization programs and by relocating some animals to dedicated enclosures.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Lopburi Municipality and Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
thailand, world, asia world regions, mammals, endangered species environment world
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