Protests Without a Project
On 29 July 2026, a Bolivian court issued an arrest warrant against former president Evo Morales, accusing him of terrorism and sedition in connection with the May–June 2026 protest wave. The protests paralysed much of the country as peasant federations, coca growers, mining cooperatives, and Indigenous organisations mobilised against the government for more than fifty days. In the early 2000s, similar protests brought down two presidents and culminated in one of Latin America’s most ambitious constitutional projects: the 2009 Constitution establishing the Plurinational State of Bolivia. Yet, the protests of 2026 produced an entirely different outcome.
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Reversing Emancipation?
Amid Bolivia’s current economic crisis, mining cooperatives remain key actors due to their strong capacity for (self-)employment and their deep-rooted historical presence in popular sectors. Their significance was reflected in their recognition in the 2009 Plurinational Constitution as a constituent sector of the country's "plural" economy. However, the strength of this sector has paradoxically led to weak regulations exposing miners to multiple risks, including the severe threat of silicosis.
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