Businessman records departure from Bolivia toward Brazil before state of exception Businessman and software developer Rafael Darrouy, 40, arrived in Espírito Santo on Sunday night (21), after spending more than 50 days prevented from leaving Bolivia due to a wave of protests blocking roads and affecting fuel supplies in the country. He missed his father's funeral in Brazil. A resident of Vila Velha, in Greater Vitória, Rafael was traveling through Latin America by car with his girlfriend when he got stuck in Bolivia.
On Thursday (18), to manage to return to Brazil, the couple faced an alternative road whose access was cleared in the Amazon region, right through the jungle. 📲 Click here to follow the g1 ES channel on WhatsApp In all, the two traveled 3,505 kilometers to reach Espírito Santo. The return trip lasted four days, with stops in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia; and overnight stays in Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul; and Araxá, Minas Gerais.
According to the businessman, the couple drove, on average, from 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Less than 24 hours after crossing the border, Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency amid the escalation of the political and economic crisis in the country. The measure expanded government powers to mobilize the Armed Forces and remove road blockades that have lasted for more than 50 days. "While we were there, there were many rumors that there could be a state of exception and an escalation of conflicts.
For at least ten days, some Bolivians were saying that fellow military personnel were being called up and confined to barracks, so we knew something was going to happen. Less than 24 hours after we left, it happened.
The rush we had to leave was not in vain," Rafael reported. Businessman Rafael Darrouy recorded his departure from Bolivia toward Brazil before the state of exception Rafael Darrouy READ ALSO: Man kills woman and tells police he was trying to 'expel demons' in Serra 23-year-old Brazilian killed in drone attack in the Ukraine War Cyclist falls on speed bump and is run over and killed by truck in ES Upon crossing the border through Corumbá, in Mato Grosso do Sul, Rafael said he became emotional. "My eyes watered. It was a very difficult thing to lose my father and not be able to leave.
The first thing you see when you arrive at the Corumbá border is a Federal Revenue sign; I even took a picture. We spoke in Portuguese with a federal police officer.
It was a mixture of relief, emotion, and tension," he said. Businessman from Espírito Santo arrives in State after being trapped in Bolivia for over 50 days and driving 3,500 km by car Rafael Darrouy Trip through dirt roads and jungle region Unable to use other highways due to blockades, the couple left the city of Sucre and followed an alternative route passing through the Monteagudo region. According to Rafael, the route crossed jungle areas and mountainous stretches, featuring dirt roads, mud, and cliffs. "We decided not to wait anymore and took the only clear route.
I didn't know that the route that opened was for that region. To me, it was a normal road, because that's a Bolivian federal highway.
But it was an area that looked like a transition between the Amazon and the Andes. It really goes right through the jungle; there were several unprotected cliffs," he said. Businessman Rafael Darrouy recorded his departure from Bolivia toward Brazil before the state of exception. Espírito Santo Rafael Darrouy During the journey, the car suffered damage. One of the tires was destroyed while passing through a mud pit, and another part needed to be replaced. "We destroyed a tire along the way and had to change it; I don't know how we made it this far.
It was quite tense, a very inhospitable, isolated region. Later, another part of the car broke because of the road, but we were already in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, where the situation was a bit better," he said. After spending the night in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, where he found a more stable situation and managed to partially refuel the vehicle, the couple crossed the border into Brazil on Friday afternoon (19). "When we left there, it was only permitted to buy 5 liters of gasoline per gallon and 20 liters at the pump directly into the car.
Bolivian friends started calling people who had stored fuel. We managed to transfer gasoline from a pickup truck into our car," he reported. ES businessman traveling through Latin America tries to leave Bolivia for over 40 days More than 50 days of uncertainty Rafael and his girlfriend left Brazil in November of last year through Foz do Iguacu, Paraná, for an open-ended trip through South America.
The couple traveled through the extreme south of Argentina, drove along the Atlantic coast, crossed all of Chile, and entered Bolivia in March of this year. The expectation was to stay in the country for 30 to 40 days before continuing their journey to Peru and, subsequently, to Colombia. However, the protests changed their plans. The couple had been stranded in Sucre since early May, when demonstrations intensified and began blocking roads in various regions of the country. In addition to the difficulty in finding fuel, the businessman was concerned about the approaching expiration dates of his, his girlfriend's, and the vehicle's residency documents. During the period he was stranded, Rafael also received the news of his father's death, Marcelo Enrique Darrouy Manieu, and was unable to return to Brazil in time to attend the funeral. At the time, Itamaraty reported that it was monitoring the situation of Brazilians in Bolivia and advising travelers to take advantage of safe opportunities to leave the country. "The Brazilian Embassy kept saying 'take advantage of the first opening and leave.' The only guidance we received was that, take the first opportunity and leave," he stated. Rafael Darrouy and his girlfriend had been traveling through Latin America by car since November 2025, but had to interrupt their journey in the city of Sucre. Reproduction Despite the difficulties faced, Rafael said he still maintains admiration for the country and the Bolivian people. "Bolivia is an incredible country.
People helped me a lot; a very supportive people. I hope they manage to resolve their problems internally and overcome this crisis.
I am very sympathetic to what they are going through, and I hope they manage to make their own decisions," he declared. Crisis in Bolivia Bolivians have been demonstrating since early May against the government of President Rodrigo Paz, who took office six months ago. Among the main demands are changes to agrarian policy and improvements in fuel supplies. Protests have caused highway blockades, supply difficulties, and damage to the country's economy. This Saturday (20), President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency to try to restore the circulation of essential goods and services, such as food, fuel, and medicine. The measure was announced after nearly two months of demonstrations and provides for greater action by security forces to clear roads and contain conflicts. The map system of the Bolivian Highway Administrator shows blockades on the country's roads. Reproduction Videos: everything about Espírito Santo Check out the latest news updates from g1 Espírito Santo.
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