LA PAZ, Bolivia: Rising prices are changing daily life for Bolivians, forcing families to cut back as inflation hits its highest levels in nearly two decades.

In La Paz, homemaker Angelica Zapata says her weekly food budget no longer stretches far. "Everything is so expensive, there's no money left," she said at a local market. "I used to go to the market with 100 bolivianos (US$14.58) and buy everything. It was enough for more than a week. I have several daughters, and what I buy isn't enough anymore. At most, these vegetables will last me one or two days."

Zapata said the cost of meats such as beef, chicken, and pork had risen even more, and prices were now "sky-high."

The economic strain is being felt across Bolivia as fuel and dollar shortages push up import and production costs. Dwindling foreign currency reserves and declining natural gas output have sparked inflation and long fuel lines, putting pressure on the country's subsidy system.

The government, led by President Luis Arce and the long-dominant socialist party, is struggling to contain the fallout ahead of August elections.

Economist Jose Luis Evia noted that "food inflation is 17 percent, but there are foods that have risen even more significantly in recent months and the last year," citing a 58 percent increase in rice prices, 30 percent in meat, and over 40 percent for fish.

Bolivia had long benefited from low inflation and affordable fuel, with natural gas exports once a reliable source of income. But with gas production down, the country now imports more expensive oil and gas, a major factor in rising prices.

The effects are stark in households like Zapata's. "We've been forced to cut down on food. I have to give my daughters only one meal a day, just lunch, but no longer dinner," she said. "Many families with lots of children are also going through this. The money we get is no longer enough."

Taxi driver Samuel Castillo echoed the frustration. "I would like them to lift the fuel subsidy so there will be more gas, and we can stop waiting in lines and fill up normally." To cope, he's taken on multiple jobs. "I have to work doing a bit of everything to earn more money," he said.