Weekly Report - 03 November 2022 (WR-22-44)

Bolivia’s left-wing Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) government has been forced to deny that it is using export restrictions to “suffocate” the opposition stronghold of Santa Cruz department, where anti-government protests have caused daily disruption since 22 October. This followed a 26 October announcement by the minister of productive development, Néstor Huanca, that sweeping restrictions were to be introduced on the export of a wide range of agricultural products. Whilst President Luis Arce’s administration insists that the restrictions are purely aimed at guaranteeing domestic food supplies during the unrest, Santa Cruz-based business lobbies have interpreted the measures as punishment for the protests, given that Santa Cruz is Bolivia’s main agricultural hub.