The enabling environment for civil society organisations in Bolivia, between September 2025 and February 2026, remains strained by structural factors that limit their full development. Although there has been a reduction in the number of recorded violations—62 against press freedom and 24 against freedom of expression, compared to 99 and 29 respectively in the previous six-month period—the situation remains complex. Attacks against journalists, including stigmatisation, verbal and physical violence, reflect a restrictive climate for the exercise of fundamental rights. Added to this is the lack of independence and efficiency of the judicial system, weakened by cases of corruption and misconduct, which reduces its capacity to provide protection and directly affects defenders and organisations.
The broader socio-political context is characterised by marked political polarisation, tensions between the government and social actors, institutional weakness in oversight and judicial bodies, regulatory and administrative restrictions that hinder the work of civil society organisations (CSOs), as well as growing pressure on independent media. These factors create a challenging environment for the consolidation of a safe and fully functioning civic space.
In this context, it is strategic to recommend the strengthening of protection mechanisms for journalists and human rights defenders, the promotion of reforms that guarantee greater judicial independence, the simplification of regulatory frameworks governing CSOs, and the promotion of initiatives that foster a more open and transparent environment for citizen participation. Only through these actions will it be possible to move towards a civic space that allows civil society organisations to fulfil their role effectively and sustainably.
