Opposition to Bolivia’s $1.9 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF, global crisis lender) program is growing as civic groups, unions and business leaders link fuel shortages and diesel subsidy cuts to reforms they believe are connected to the financing agreement. Representatives of nine civic and social organizations met Wednesday in Cochabamba and urged the government to reduce costs affecting households and industry. The July 29 agreement still requires approval from Congress and the IMF’s Executive Board. It would be Bolivia’s first multi-year arrangement with the Fund since 2006 and could unlock another $5 billion from other multilateral lenders. In Santa Cruz, civic leaders have accused the government of using the agreement to justify fuel subsidy cuts before approval, while the government has not publicly disclosed the package’s details. Pressure intensified after Presidential Minister Fernando Aramayo called a diesel pricing measure an IMF condition before retracting the remark. Public anger follows fuel shortages, rising costs, protests and roadblocks this year involving labor unions, Indigenous groups and supporters of former leftist President Evo Morales. Although lawmakers told Reuters there was no organized congressional bloc against the agreement, analysts said resistance from industry could complicate approval if further unpopular measures are needed. The departure on August 25 of former Economy Minister Jose Gabriel Espinoza, who led negotiations and was forced from office, has added to the government’s difficulties. An IMF spokesperson said the Fund remained engaged with Bolivian authorities. Uncertainty over external financing has also increased dollar demand, weakened the boliviano on parallel markets and made investors more cautious after Bolivia’s bond prices soared over the past year. Gramercy’s Kathryn Exum described the protests and economic-team changes as a broader challenge of governability, while Nuveen’s Katherine Renfrew said deficit reductions would be difficult to implement.