Bolivia’s government has expelled Colombia’s ambassador, Elizabeth García Carrillo, declaring her persona non grata in a sharp escalation of tensions triggered by President Gustavo Petro’s description of anti-government protests as a “popular insurrection”. The foreign ministry in La Paz accused Petro of “constant interference” in Bolivia’s internal affairs, specifically citing his remarks on the political crisis surrounding former President Evo Morales. The decision, formalised on 20 May 2026, invokes the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and reflects a growing willingness in La Paz to confront what it sees as encroachments on its sovereignty.

The protests that prompted Petro’s comments began in early May, with campesinos, miners and workers demanding the resignation of President Rodrigo Paz Pereira amid a severe economic downturn. Petro, via social media, characterised the unrest as a legitimate response to “geopolitical arrogance”, a framing that infuriated the Bolivian administration. Beyond the immediate diplomatic row, the episode underscores the fragility of bilateral relations: trade between the two nations, while modest, is not negligible, and the rupture adds to Colombia’s strained diplomatic ties in the region, following its own recent crisis with Ecuador.

Viewed from Bogotá, the expulsion is an overreaction that risks isolating Bolivia further, particularly as Petro has offered to mediate if invited. However, analysts in London note that the move aligns with a broader pattern of Latin American governments asserting non-interference norms, especially when external commentary touches on domestic unrest. As protests continue and economic pressures mount, the diplomatic stand-off may deepen, with little immediate prospect of reconciliation given the political calendar: Colombia faces a presidential transition in less than three months, while Bolivia’s government is fighting for its survival. The coming weeks will test whether either side has the appetite for de-escalation.