Bolivia: one dead in clash between government forces and strikers in Potosí

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The second day of the national strike in Bolivia was marked by violence. Images and videos spread on social networks show repression by police officers and government supporters in different parts of the country, such as Cochabamba, Tarija, Santa Cruz and Oruro.

Civic Committee of Potosí chairman Juan Carlos Manuel also reported the death of a man to local media. He said that the circumstances under which the man died are unknown.

“We know that one person is dead, a 25 year old man who choked on his coke, most likely while running. There are no signs of violence, I am very sorry that there is a death among our peasant brothers,” he said.

The spokesman also said that a university student had been seriously injured during the protests.

At least 15 people were arrested in the town of Santa Cruz, while the opposition accuses the police of having lied to them, “failing to keep their word and making more arrests.”

As Bolivia’s El Deber reported, on Tuesday police officers charged and used excessive force against civilians being assisted by a group of volunteer firefighters in Santa Cruz. The crackdown occurred at 12 noon at a blockade point where there was a group of women, elderly people and some youths.

Santa Cruz and Cochabamba have experienced most of the different incidents during the national strike. In Santa Cruz, clashes have been registered between people taking part in the blockades and groups opposing the strike, which has forced authorities to carry out a strong operation to prevent conflicts.

As reported by the Bolivian media, several blockade points were set up in Santa Cruz as part of the protests. A group of Movimiento Al Socialismo (MAS) supporters reached one of these blockades and tried to break the barricade of tires, rocks and debris. A clash ensued that left several people injured on both sides.

Later the police arrived and detained a group of people and then used tear gas and water jets with the anti-riot vehicle known as Neptuno, before shouts of despair from the crowd.

“The MAS supporters came to provoke us. We were calmly blockading and they came to set fire and launch rockets at us,” one of the injured reported to El Deber.

In Oruro, several journalists were repressed by Bolivian police officers during a peaceful march to demand that they be allowed to do their work.