The Foreign Office has issued a new warning for UK tourists heading to Bolivia, stating that they cannot guarantee arrival to their destination due to ongoing transport strikes. The FCDO updated its travel advice on Thursday, May 7, into Friday, May 8, 2026, citing new information on transport strikes.
Indefinite Strike in La Paz
The interprovincial transport union of La Paz has announced an indefinite strike starting from May 6, 2026. The FCDO warns that if a bus company sells you a ticket ‘condicionado’, it means they will not guarantee arrival to your destination. Travelers are advised to check local advice before traveling and not to cross blockades.
Routes to Avoid
The FCDO advises against all road travel on the following routes until further notice:
- Between La Paz and Copacabana (Lake Titicaca)
- Between La Paz and Oruro
- Between La Paz and Uyuni via Oruro
- Between La Paz and Rurrenabaque
Flights are operating normally. British nationals stuck in a road blockade or requiring urgent consular assistance should contact the FCDO by phone or WhatsApp at +591 7678 8849.
Background on Protests
An indefinite strike called by the Bolivian Workers Confederation (COB) last Saturday has been accompanied by highway blockades, protest marches, and threats of further actions. Protests have entered the third day, with three separate groups calling for reforms to agricultural, educational, and labor policies.
The COB union issued a strike call last Friday, and a teachers’ union is demanding a state-funded “single free public education system”. COB has called for an indefinite general strike. “Starting today, a general, indefinite and active strike is declared, until the government understands the people’s demands,” said COB’s Secretary-General Mario Argollo to a group of 1,000 supporters in El Alto. In response, President Paz stated in Cochabamba on May 8: “If you want to raise salaries, first create jobs.”
