Bolivia Clowns Protest Decree: Livelihoods at Risk 🎪🎭

Dozens of clowns marched through the streets of Bolivia’s capital, La Paz, on Monday to protest a government decree limiting extracurricular activities in schools, a move they say threatens their livelihoods.

Clowns Protest New Education Decree

The clowns, wearing full face paint and red noses, gathered in front of the ministry of education to oppose the decree published in February. The mandate requires schools to comply with 200 days of lessons annually, effectively banning events where the entertainers are often hired.

Clowns are frequently hired for school festivities, such as Children’s Day, celebrated on April 12th, to entertain children during breaks.

“This decree will economically affect all of us who work with children,” said Wilder Ramírez, a leader of the local clown union, also known as Zapallito. Ramírez told journalists that “children need to laugh,” while colleagues questioned if the education minister had experienced a childhood.

The decree, issued by the government of President Rodrigo Paz, allows celebrations to be held voluntarily on weekends but prohibits them during regular school days. Government officials stated they would consider the clowns’ concerns when drafting the 2027 school year decree.

“This decree will diminish our income, and with the economic crisis the country is going through, our future looks increasingly gloomy,” said Elías Gutiérrez, a spokesperson for the Confederation of Artisanal Workers of Bolivia.

Bolivia is currently facing its worst economic crisis in decades, with declining natural gas revenues and a scarcity of US dollars driving up import costs.

Tailors who create costumes for clowns and children, as well as photographers who typically cover school events, participated in Monday’s protest. The protesters marched through central La Paz, blowing whistles and setting off small fireworks. One sign read, “taking away smiles, and taking work away.”