'Five days waiting for petrol' - Nationwide blockades bring Bolivia's La Paz to a standstill as fuel shortages worsen

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'Five days waiting for petrol' - Nationwide blockades bring Bolivia's La Paz to a standstill as fuel shortages worsen

"Huge queues were seen snaking around petrol stations in Bolivia's La Paz on Monday, as drivers complain that the fuel shortages are damaging livelihoods amid nationwide blockades. Drivers gathered at fuel stations reported that the wait to access fuel can extend for several days, forcing them to stay in their vehicles without access to food and water. "We have been sleeping here since Wednesday, it's now early morning on Monday. That's five days waiting for petrol," said Vicente Cusicanqui, who works as a driver. The situation has badly affected hundreds of transporters who depend on their vehicles to make a living. Driver Walter Colque explained that many drivers are struggling to survive the ordeal without adequate supplies. "We are surviving on the little we brought. We have no food, no water, we are drinking the water we use for the radiator."," he stated. He added that he cannot go home to rest or get supplies since the petrol stations have implemented a waiting list to control access to fuel. "We can't move because they take attendance lists either in the morning, in the afternoon, at noon, or at night; if we are not present, they remove us from the list," he explained. The fuel shortage also impacts the thousands of public transport workers, who are unable to work normally due to rising prices. "We are the only ones who bring bread every day and with everything being so expensive, it doesn't allow us to work," said Ever Victor. "We can't take it anymore." After more than a month of demonstrations, there are now hundreds of blockades put up across seven departments of the country, preventing food, medicine and fuel from being transported freely, while even ambulances are prevented from moving, according to the Bolivian Road Administration. Despite the announcement by President Rodrigo Paz's government over the weekend of the release of more than a million litres of fuel and 40,000 cylinders of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for La Paz and El Alto, the cities continue to face difficulties due to restrictions on supply routes."

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