"Former Bolivian president Evo Morales on Wednesday criticised the government's decision to scrap fuel subsidies, warning the move would worsen hardship and "will not solve the economic or social situation of the Bolivian people." "Any change that must be made to protect the economy must be done with the people, nothing without the people. Reviewing the numbers, diesel rises 160 per cent, gasoline 90 per cent, and the national minimum wage rises 20 per cent," Morales said during an event in Cochabamba celebrating the day he won national elections for the first time on December 18, 2005. The former leader also said that the economic policies being adopted by Paz's new government will mainly affect 'humble people.' "All social movements reject the subsidy issue, except business leaders, except agribusiness. So what is happening then? It is easy to realise: the policies are for them [the rich] and not for humble people," he said, adding that the current government plans to confront the fiscal deficit by eliminating subsidies. Morales also supported the governments of Venezuela and Colombia, following recent threats by US President Donald Trump to launch ground operations against alleged drug traffickers in both countries. President Rodrigo Paz scrapped fuel subsidies by decree, ending nearly two decades of price controls in place since 2006 - a policy that had cost the state about $3.5 billion a year. The move sparked a backlash, with labour unions and neighbourhood groups calling for marches, road blockades and open-ended strikes to oppose the measure."