Sad faces all round as Bolivia’s clowns protest over decree threatening their livelihoods | Bolivia

Dozens of clowns marched through the streets of Bolivia’s capital on Monday to protest a government decree that limits extracurricular activities in schools and threatens their livelihoods.

Clowns with face paint and distinctive red noses gathered in front of the education ministry in La Paz to oppose the decree issued in February. The new mandate says schools must comply with 200 days of classes each year; this prohibits schools from hosting special events that often employ entertainers.

In Bolivia, clowns are often hired for school festivals to entertain children between regular classes. One of the upcoming events is Children’s Day, which the country celebrates on April 12.

“This decree will economically affect all of us who work with children,” said Wilder Ramírez, leader of the local clown union, also known as Zapallito. The clown told reporters that “children need to laugh” while his colleagues wondered aloud whether Bolivia’s education minister had ever had a childhood.

The decree issued by the government of recently elected President Rodrigo Paz says the celebrations will no longer be allowed on regular school days, but can be held voluntarily on weekends. Government officials said they would take the clowns’ criticisms into account when making decisions for the 2027 academic year.

But those assurances offered little relief to the clowns protesting on Monday.

“This decree will reduce our income, and with the economic crisis the country is experiencing, our future looks increasingly bleak,” said Elías Gutiérrez, spokesman for the Bolivian Confederation of Craft Workers.

Bolivia is struggling with its worst economic crisis in recent years. Following a steady decline in production, revenues from natural gas are falling rapidly and US dollars are becoming scarce, making imports more expensive in the landlocked country.

Tailors who work with clowns and sew clothes for children attending cultural events also participated in Monday’s protest. So did photographers who usually photograph school celebrations.

A contingent of clowns, photographers and costume makers marched into the center of La Paz, blowing whistles and setting off small fireworks.

One of the clowns held a sign accusing the government of “eliminating smiles and taking away jobs.”