US voices alarm over Bolivia unrest as protests spread nationwide

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said on Tuesday he spoke with Bolivian President ​Rodrigo Paz and was very concerned about escalating unrest in ‌the South American country, where nationwide protests over austerity measures have sparked instability.

Demonstrations that began with strikes in early May have grown into a nationwide movement involving ​labor unions, miners, transport workers and rural groups. Protesters are ​pressing Paz’s government to roll back the austerity measures and ⁠address rising living costs, with some calling for his resignation.

Several Bolivian banks on Tuesday temporarily closed branches in the city of La Paz over security concerns ​amid escalating unrest against Paz’s government, which took office ​in November, ⁠ending nearly two decades of leftist rule.

Read more: Reuters