Legitimacy and Policy during Crises: Subnational COVID-19 Responses in Bolivia

Why did some Bolivian departments have more success containing COVID-19 than others? We argue that low government legitimacy hampers coordinated responses to national crises, particularly where political polarization is severe and the crisis response becomes politicized. Low can intensify challenges of poverty poor infrastructure. An original dataset daily observations on subnational coronavirus policy cell phone mobility data, paired with administrative data cases deaths, suggests divisions influenced governors’ implementation citizens’ compliance. In opposed president, policies were likely deviate from stricter while protest activity high. aligned local followed citizens complied quarantine restrictions for a longer period time.