Bolivia Protest Crackdown

Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency after more than six weeks of anti-government protests and road blockades by unions, Indigenous groups and coca farmers demanding his resignation. The decree gives the military broader powers to clear roads, and soldiers with bulldozers moved to dismantle barricades that had isolated La Paz and other major cities while choking supplies of fuel, food and other basic goods. The emergency measure was later overwhelmingly ratified as authorities continued clearing blockades on Sunday. One account also notes that a patrol plane crash killed six people as the government pressed its effort to restore transport links.