Paraguayan Ambassador to Bolivia Enrique Jose Guerrero Cari said the assistance was sent on the instructions of President Santiago Peña as a gesture of solidarity with the Bolivian people.

The shipment forms part of a six-tonne aid package destined for the cities of La Paz and El Alto, which have been among the hardest hit by supply disruptions.

“It includes basic food items such as flour, sugar, salt, rice, pasta and oil , everything a family might need to prepare meals,” Guerrero said.

The aid arrives as residents in Santa Cruz continue to queue at cargo terminals in an effort to send food and supplies to relatives affected by shortages in other parts of the country.

Claudia Tapia, a Santa Cruz resident who regularly sends meat and chicken to family members in La Paz, welcomed the international assistance.

“Any assistance is welcome for our country because we are truly in a very critical situation,” she said.

Bolivia has endured more than three weeks of protests and road blockades, disrupting transport networks and contributing to shortages of food, fuel and medicine, particularly in La Paz and El Alto.

Protesters have been demanding economic relief measures, the reversal of austerity policies and, in some cases, the resignation of President Rodrigo Paz.

At the same time, another group of demonstrators, including farmers, miners and workers linked to trade union organisations, marched through the streets of La Paz demanding the resignation of President Rodrigo Paz.

Protesters also criticised remarks made by Rodrigo Paz during the 217th anniversary of Sucre’s liberation movement on Monday, where he said that “a minority” cannot govern, referring to groups calling for his removal.

The protests against Rodrigo Paz’s government have entered their fourth week and have resulted in blockades on major roads, disrupting the supply of fuel, food and medical supplies in several cities across Bolivia.