Bolivia's president announces state of emergency

Bolivia's President Rodrigo Paz on Saturday declared a nationwide state of emergency to deploy the military and clear violent road blockades.

The decision came after a prolonged, 50-day siege by workers' unions who are demanding the president's resignation amid a severe economic and fuel crisis. Prior to the emergency declaration, the Bolivian legislature passed a new law lowering the threshold for the executive branch to enact emergency decrees and deploy the armed forces to restore public order.