BOGOTA/ISTANBUL 

Two Bolivian police officers were killed and several others injured, one critically, during ongoing protests led by supporters of former President Evo Morales, officials and local media reported Wednesday.

Government Minister Roberto Rios confirmed the deaths occurred in the mining town of Llallagua in Bolivia’s southwestern Potosi region. The violence broke out after President Luis Arce ordered the reopening of highways that had been blockaded for ten days by Morales loyalists.

Police clashed with protesters hurling stones and fireworks, responding with tear gas and water cannons. At least 15 civilians were injured during a similar confrontation in Llallagua the day before.

More officers sustained injuries at blockades along the La Paz–Cochabamba highway, a vital route and stronghold of support for Morales.

President Arce directly blamed Morales for orchestrating the demonstrations, which he said are worsening the country's political and economic instability.

Court ruling, economic crisis fuel unrest

The protests erupted after Bolivia’s Constitutional Court barred Morales from running in the upcoming presidential elections, citing constitutional term limits. Many demonstrators, primarily from Indigenous communities, are also voicing frustration over the country's worsening economic crisis.

The government estimates the economic toll of the blockades has surpassed $100 million, with food and fuel deliveries stalled across Bolivia's nine regions. Queues for meat and essential goods have grown in major cities.

According to Bolivia’s Highway Administration, 21 roadblocks remain active in Cochabamba, Oruro, Potosi, and Santa Cruz.

Morales warns of deeper unrest

In a public statement, Morales criticized President Arce for failing to resolve the crisis, warning that continued unrest could push the country further toward instability.

Morales, who resigned from the presidency in 2019 and later stepped down as leader of the ruling MAS party, had hoped to run again. He argued that a 2009 constitutional amendment permitted his candidacy. But the court ruled in 2023 that seeking another term would violate constitutional term limits.

Adding to his legal troubles, Bolivia’s Prosecutor’s Office issued an arrest warrant for Morales on Oct. 11, 2024, as part of a human trafficking investigation. He has ignored two summonses to testify, citing health and procedural concerns.