Bolivia Diesel Protest Strands 200 Vehicles on Beni–Santa Cruz Route

Producers resumed an indefinite blockade at Puente San Pablo on the route linking Bolivia’s Beni and Santa Cruz departments, demanding repeal of Decree 5676. Police negotiated a 30-minute passage interval for buses and trucks carrying children and older adults, but the blockade resumed near 10:30 a.m. and a police commander said about 200 vehicles were stranded. Scheduled bus departures from Santa Cruz toward Beni were suspended. The decree sets an initial Bs 18-per-liter diesel reference price for large and direct consumers while retaining the Bs 9.80 retail price for ordinary motorists at service stations.