Bolivia’s cherished marraqueta bread roll—crisp on the outside, soft within—has become the unlikely center of a national crisis, thrusting the country’s new president, Rodrigo Paz, into a political and economic storm just weeks after his inauguration on November 8, 2025. For nearly two decades, Bolivians have enjoyed this staple at a fixed price, but now, shortages and shrinking loaves are testing both the patience of the public and the resolve of the government.
According to Reuters, the marraqueta’s price has been held steady at about 7 U.S. cents per roll for 17 years, thanks to heavy state subsidies introduced by Paz’s socialist predecessors. But as wheat supplies dwindle and costs rise, bakers find it increasingly difficult to keep up with demand. Bolivia, a country that imports roughly three-quarters of its wheat—mainly from neighboring Argentina—has been particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions and global price hikes. The marraqueta, once a hearty 100 grams (about 3.5 ounces), now weighs in at just 60 grams (2 ounces), a drop that hasn’t gone unnoticed by consumers who sometimes queue for hours just to buy a few rolls.
On November 26, 2025, the National Confederation of Artisan Bakers (Conapaabol) announced it would break with the previous government’s agreement and raise bread prices to about 11 U.S. cents per unit. This move, reported by Reuters, marks the end of an era for Bolivia’s most iconic bread and signals a broader reckoning with the country’s subsidy-heavy economic model.
Baker Roberto Rengel, who has not received promised ingredients from the state supplier since September, voiced the frustration felt by many in his profession. "The subsidy is killing us," he said, as quoted by Reuters. The state-run food agency EMAPA, which is responsible for distributing government-imported flour, halted supplies in September 2025 because the government could not pay suppliers on time. This disruption has forced some vendors to switch to more profitable alternatives, such as cheese-filled buns called sarnitas, while others have stopped selling bread altogether.
The marraqueta shortage is more than just a culinary inconvenience—it’s a symptom of deeper economic woes. Years of state-led policies and nationalization under the previous leftist government deterred foreign investment and strained the country’s finances, despite Bolivia’s status as a major producer of natural gas and grains. Now, the country faces one of its worst economic crises in decades, with the bread shortage highlighting the fragility of its subsidy system.
President Rodrigo Paz, who campaigned on a promise to reform subsidies covering energy, transport, and basic goods, now finds himself walking a political tightrope. As Reuters notes, Paz has so far avoided sweeping changes, likely wary of provoking a population long accustomed to state support. The frustration from bakers and buyers alike illustrates the political risks of unwinding subsidies, especially when basic necessities are at stake.
Economy Minister Jose Gabriel Espinoza told Reuters this week that the government was considering cutting some subsidies, such as those for diesel, but he did not provide a timeframe or details for other key goods. The uncertainty has left both producers and consumers on edge, with many fearing that any price increase in bread will trigger a domino effect across other essential items. "If bread goes up, everything goes up," warned street seller Natividad Zabala, encapsulating a sentiment echoed by many Bolivians.
Bolivian economist Gonzalo Chavez of the Universidad Catolica Boliviana explained the dilemma facing the new administration. "Subsidies create distortions and blind price signals, leading people to believe cheap bread and cheap fuel are entitlements," he said. Chavez’s assessment, cited by Reuters, underscores the technical complexity and political risk of removing subsidies in a country where such benefits are deeply woven into the social fabric.
The roots of Bolivia’s current predicament stretch back years. State-led economic policies, including widespread nationalization, were designed to shield the population from market volatility and ensure access to basic goods. But over time, these policies have deterred foreign investment and left public finances stretched thin. As a result, when global wheat prices spiked and supply chains faltered, Bolivia found itself with few buffers. The government’s inability to pay suppliers on time, leading to the EMAPA’s halt in flour distribution, is just one manifestation of these deeper structural issues.
For everyday Bolivians, the crisis is felt most acutely at the breakfast table. The marraqueta is more than just a food item—it’s a symbol of national identity and daily life. Its shrinking size and sporadic availability have become a source of frustration and anxiety. Some shoppers, determined to maintain their routines, queue for hours, while others turn to pricier alternatives or simply go without. Vendors, caught between rising costs and fixed prices, face difficult choices: switch to products with better margins or exit the market altogether.
The decision by Conapaabol to raise bread prices marks a significant shift. For years, the fixed price of the marraqueta was a point of pride and stability, a testament to the state’s ability to provide for its people. Now, with that promise unraveling, President Paz must navigate a path between economic necessity and political survival. His pledge to reform subsidies is both a recognition of the unsustainable status quo and an acknowledgment of the risks involved in change.
International observers and local analysts alike are watching closely. The outcome of Bolivia’s bread crisis could serve as a bellwether for other countries grappling with similar challenges—balancing the need for economic reform against the imperative to maintain social cohesion. As Paz’s administration considers its next steps, the stakes remain high: a misstep could not only undermine public trust but also exacerbate the country’s economic woes.
For now, the marraqueta’s fate hangs in the balance, emblematic of a broader struggle over Bolivia’s economic future. Whether President Paz can chart a course that preserves both stability and sustainability remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the humble bread roll has become a litmus test for the nation’s resilience and the government’s resolve.
