In the tourism sector, the downturn has been immediate and severe. Edson Muraña, an Indigenous leader and tour guide from the Lipez community in Potosí—home to the well-known Salar de Uyuni—explained that “tourists stopped coming” from the very first week. Widespread cancellations disrupted travel plans and agency operations, triggering a ripple effect across the sector, especially for those whose income depends directly on visitor flows.

In La Paz, the tourism and hospitality sector reflects the scale of the crisis. According to Helga Cisneros, president of the Departmental Hotel Chamber, occupancy rates have dropped dramatically. The sector had already declined from around 70% occupancy in 2019 to approximately 35–38% in recent years. However, the situation worsened significantly during the blockades. At the beginning of June, hotel occupancy fell to as low as 4%, recovering only slightly to 7% in the following weeks, highlighting the near paralysis of tourism activity in the city.

The economic losses have been substantial. Cisneros reported that, at a national level, accumulated losses in the sector are estimated at around 2.7 billion bolivianos, equivalent to roughly 270 million US dollars at the current official exchange rate. While this figure reflects the broader national picture, La Paz—one of the country’s main tourism hubs—accounts for a significant share of these losses due to high cancellation rates and reduced visitor flows.

Cancellations have been particularly severe in recent months. “June has seen cancellations of around 95%,” Cisneros noted, adding that May had already been marked by widespread disruptions. This sharp decline in demand has left many businesses without revenue during what would typically be a key recovery period.

Beyond financial losses, the employment situation has become increasingly fragile. The hospitality sector, which employs large numbers of women and young people, has already been forced to send workers on leave due to the lack of activity. With high operating costs, including wages, utilities and taxes, many businesses are now considering layoffs as a necessary measure to remain viable.

At the same time, informal workers in local markets report unstable conditions affecting their daily trade. Vendors describe irregular supply and fluctuating prices, noting that availability can vary significantly from one day to the next. Despite these challenges, many emphasise that their priority is simply to continue working, as their livelihoods depend on daily income.

At a national level, business sectors estimate that the overall economic damage could reach as much as 3 billion US dollars, equivalent to approximately 5.5% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The Confederation of Private Business Owners of Bolivia has called on the government to implement an emergency support plan for struggling companies, as well as to approve legislation aimed at preventing road blockades.

Although the blockades have gradually been lifted, the government also declared a state of emergency, ordering military and police forces to clear the roads. After nearly two months of disruption, Bolivia now faces the challenge of stabilising its economy , as workers across sectors continue to call for conditions that allow them to resume their activities and recover their livelihoods.

Footage from Viory showed police and soldiers removing stones, concrete blocks and mounds of earth from roads as vehicles slowly resumed movement. The deployment began in El Alto, passed through Senkata and continued to the Achica Arriba checkpoint on the main highway linking La Paz with Oruro.

In Senkata, some residents expressed support for the operation, saying the roadblocks had severely disrupted daily life.

"I agree with this roadblock clearance because it has caused a lot of harm. I live in Samo. How far do I have to walk to the minibus? .. We are harming ourselves," said resident Izana Apaza.

Authorities said the operation also enabled more than 150 trucks stranded in the Confital, Sayari and Bombeo sectors to resume their journeys after drivers spent more than 30 days with limited access to food and fuel.

The United States remains the world's largest contributor to global financial secrecy, according to the Financial Secrecy Index 2025 published by the Tax Justice Network, highlighting ongoing concerns about hidden wealth, offshore finance, and transparency in the international financial system.

The index ranks jurisdictions based on their contribution to global financial secrecy, combining secrecy levels with the scale of financial services provided to non-residents. The latest report places the United States at the top with a Financial Secrecy Index (FSI) value of 2,018, well ahead of Switzerland and Singapore.

The Tax Justice Network found that the United States accounts for 25.54% of the global market for offshore financial services , giving it the largest influence on worldwide financial secrecy.

Analysts say the country's vast financial sector, combined with varying transparency requirements across states, continues to attract international wealth and corporate structures.

Switzerland, long associated with private banking secrecy, ranked second with an FSI value of 1,398, followed by Singapore (1,228) and Hong Kong (1,111).

Several of the world's biggest financial hubs featured prominently in the top 10, including Luxembourg, Germany, the Netherlands and Japan .

According to the Tax Justice Network, the rankings do not necessarily indicate illegal activity. Instead, they measure how laws, regulations and financial practices can enable assets and ownership structures to remain hidden from foreign authorities.

The organisation argues that greater transparency is essential for combating tax evasion, money laundering and illicit financial flows.

Financial secrecy has become an increasingly important issue for governments seeking to recover lost tax revenues and strengthen oversight of cross-border financial transactions.

International bodies such as the OECD, the International Monetary Fund, and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) have pushed for greater information sharing and beneficial ownership disclosure in recent years.

Despite those efforts, the Tax Justice Network says major economies and financial centres still play a significant role in facilitating opaque financial arrangements.

India has overtaken China to become the world's most populous nation, marking a historic demographic shift that is already reshaping global economic growth, labour markets and geopolitical influence.

According to the United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 , India's population is projected to continue growing for several decades, while China's is expected to decline steadily as the effects of low birth rates and population ageing intensify.

The latest UN projections highlight a dramatic reversal in demographic fortunes between the two Asian giants, which together account for more than one-third of humanity.

UN estimates indicate that India's population has risen from approximately 201 million in 1800 to around 1.46 billion today , making it the world's largest country by population .

Under the UN's medium-fertility scenario, India's population is projected to reach roughly 1.68 billion by 2050, before gradually declining to around 1.51 billion by the end of the century.

The growth has been driven by improvements in healthcare, declining mortality rates and a relatively young population. India currently has one of the world's largest working-age populations, a demographic advantage economists often refer to as a "demographic dividend."

However, experts note that turning population growth into economic prosperity will depend on creating sufficient jobs, expanding education and improving infrastructure.

China's demographic story is moving in the opposite direction.

The UN estimates China's population grew from around 330 million in 1800 to a peak of more than 1.4 billion in recent decades. Yet falling fertility rates, rising living costs and longer life expectancy have contributed to a sustained population decline.

Under current projections, China's population is expected to fall from about 1.41 billion today to 1.26 billion by 2050, before shrinking further to approximately 633 million by 2100.

The decline reflects one of the most significant demographic transitions in modern history. China's fertility rate remains well below the replacement level of 2.1 children per woman despite policy efforts aimed at encouraging larger families.

Speaking at a "For Life, to Save Bolivia" rally in Chimore on Wednesday, Morales claimed the government was deepening ties with Washington while the country faced widespread unrest.

"It has already signed several energy and mining agreements. What does energy mean? Lithium. In the middle of this conflict, they continue signing agreements with the United States," Morales said.

"They are selling Bolivia."

Morales also accused the administration of links to drug trafficking and state repression.

"The drug traffickers are in the government," Morales claimed.

"Terrorism is cutting off electricity, cutting off basic services such as telephone service, closing banks. They have shut down Banco Union. That is terrorism, state terrorism. And even worse, Rodrigo Paz publicly says that he is calling on society to confront the protesters, to make brothers fight against brothers."

The former president further alleged that the United States was increasing its presence in Bolivia to protect its interests and support the government.

"Americans are coming here to shoot at us, and now the military base is returning. A month ago, the United States Southern Command arrived, and a military commander was reporting to them. What a disgrace, reporting to the Americans. The DEA is one thing, and the United States Southern Command is another," Morales stated.

His comments came during a march organised with the Six Federations of the Cochabamba Tropics, a coalition of coca-grower and peasant organisations.

The demonstration forms part of a broader wave of anti-government protests that have spread across Bolivia in recent months. Labour unions, miners, teachers, transport workers and rural groups have demanded economic relief, while some protesters are calling for President Paz to resign.

Morales is also demanding that Paz step down and call snap elections.

Earlier this week, Paz said demonstrations calling for his resignation were being promoted by "narcoterrorists."

The president has also backed legislation that would expand his powers to declare a state of emergency, allowing the armed forces to assist police in removing roadblocks and potentially restricting freedom of movement and assembly.