On 17 March 2025, near La Guardia (Santa Cruz), a group of moto-taxi drivers carried out a demonstration by blocking the old road to Cochabamba at Km. 20, denouncing fuel shortage. The group demanded the Bolivian State Oil Company (YPFB) to supply fuel in the region and to normalize the service.

Supply-chain Risk Briefing: Bolivia Fuel Shortage Protests

1. Summary

On March 17, 2025, mototaxi drivers protested fuel supply shortages near La Guardia in Bolivia's Santa Cruz department, blocking the old Cochabamba road. The protesters demanded that the Bolivian state oil company (YPFB) normalize fuel supply in the region, with the current risk level assessed as low.

2. Supply-chain impact

• Regional transport network blockade: The blockade at the 20km point on the old Cochabamba road may cause temporary delays on the Santa Cruz-Cochabamba overland transport route
• Fuel supply chain vulnerability exposed: Fuel supply instability confirmed in the Santa Cruz region, Bolivia's eastern industrial hub, raising concerns about future logistics cost increases
• Potential agricultural logistics impact: As Santa Cruz is Bolivia's major agricultural production region, continued fuel shortages could disrupt agricultural product transportation and harvesting equipment operations
• Small-scale transport sector hit: Suspension of mototaxi and other small-scale transport services affects regional last-mile delivery networks

3. Watch points

• YPFB's fuel supply normalization measures and timeline: The state oil company's response speed will be a key variable determining whether protests spread
• Potential for additional protest expansion in Santa Cruz region: Need to monitor the risk of fuel shortages spreading to other transport industries or industrial sectors, potentially developing into large-scale blockade protests