Unrest in La Paz leaves looting and 90 detained after clashes between protesters and police
A massive demonstration in the centre of the Bolivian capital resulted in violent clashes with police, looting of shops and a courthouse, and the detention of dozens of people.
Unrest in La Paz leaves looting and 90 detained after clashes between protesters and police
The centre of the Bolivian capital became the scene of violent disturbances on Monday, when thousands of people attempted to advance towards the headquarters of the executive and legislative branches, clashing with a substantial police deployment positioned to protect state facilities.
The mobilisation, which has now accumulated three weeks of protests with road blockades across the country, brought together workers affiliated with the Bolivian Workers' Central (COB), peasants linked to former presidents Evo Morales and Luis Arce, residents of El Alto and coca growers from the Chapare.
Participants carried firecrackers, stones, sticks and even homemade explosives. They attempted to breach the security cordon to enter the Palace of Government and Congress, which forced authorities and parliamentarians to abandon the buildings. The location of President Rodrigo Paz during the events was not confirmed by his aides.
In the midst of the turmoil, groups of people broke into a shopping complex and a courtroom, where they removed furniture and other items to construct burning barricades that served as a shield against clouds of tear gas launched by uniformed officers. Residents of the area reported physical aggression by agitated individuals.
The Public Ministry representative, Roger Mariaca, reported that 90 people were handed over to justice and that an arrest warrant remains in force against Mario Argollo, top leader of the COB. Regarding the injured, no official tally was released by the end of the day, although the national executive confirmed four indirect deaths linked to the blockades since the start of the social conflict.
During the evening, the Government ministry published photographs of police officers with injuries, highlighting the case of an officer with traumatic brain injury presumably caused by the impact of a blunt object. Local media, in turn, broadcast images of an injured protester and noted that several journalists were affected by gas inhalation and blows.
The persistence of the road blockades has generated shortages in wholesale markets, fuel scarcity and the stranding of approximately five thousand transport units. Business chambers estimate that economic losses amount to more than fifty million dollars per day.
From the Santa Cruz region, the Civic Committee demanded the head of state declare a state of emergency. Morales continues to promote mobilisations from the Cochabamba tropics, where since last year he has evaded a court order for alleged sexual offences against a minor that occurred in 2016. A new arrest warrant against him has recently been added.
Source: Associated Press via Local 10
Source: Google News BO — Crime