A coalition of anti-government groups began a period of civil unrest Nov. 6 that may include large demonstrations and blocked roads. Similar past demonstrations have turned violent. Travelers should avoid such rallies and should not attempt to drive through or around roadblocks. Leaders of the campaign include individuals opposed to the government’s coca eradication campaign in the Chapare region between Santa Cruz and Cochabamba and the Yungas region northeast of La Paz. The current action comes on the heels of two months of protests by coca farmers in the Chapare region and the recent bolstering of the army presence to reassert control of the area. Because the U.S. government supports this eradication campaign, U.S. citizens should avoid these regions.
