Bolivian Water Wars

The Bolivian Water Wars refer to a series of protests and conflicts in Bolivia during the early 2000s over the privatization of water services. In 1999, the Bolivian government sold the rights to manage the water supply in Cochabamba to a foreign company, leading to dramatic price increases and limited access for many residents. The public responded with widespread protests, demanding that water be treated as a human right, not a profit-making commodity. In 2000, these protests culminated in a major uprising, resulting in the government reversing the privatization and restoring public control of water resources.