BOLIVIA-MINERS/TALKS Bolivian miners wait for talks with authorities to end strike deadlock

Record ID: 146146

  • Title: BOLIVIA-MINERS/TALKS Bolivian miners wait for talks with authorities to end strike deadlock
  • Date: 22nd July 2015
  • Summary: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA (JULY 21, 2015) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF BARBED WIRE AT MURILLO SQUARE GENERAL VIEW OF BURNED PALACE GOVERNMENT PALACE VARIOUS OF ARMOURED VEHICLE WITH WATER CANON VARIOUS OF POLICE OFFICERS ON DUTY IN SQUARE GENERAL VIEW OF SQUARE GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE WITH PRESIDENCY MINISTER JUAN RAMON DE LA QUINTANA (SOUN
  • Embargoed: 6th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA1PHSRW0ERXVI1NWVFJ5ML78MT
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Security was tight in La Paz's Murillo Square on Tuesday (July 21) as representatives from striking Bolivian miners had entered the day expecting to hold talks with government officials to seek a solution to weeks of deadlock and tensions over demands that President Evo Morales fulfill his promises to develop their region through infrastructure and job opportunities. The talks did not take place as Morales did not make himself available to take part.
    No major rallies were organised for the first time in 14 days.
    For weeks protesters from the southern Bolivian department of Potosi have called for the construction of hospitals, roads and an international airport to be built in their region as part of a 26-point plan for the government.
    Although both sides are still short of agreement, Bolivia's Presidency Minister Juan Ramon de la Quintana claimed to welcome the start of dialogue early in the day when talks were still expected to take place.
    "We congratulate the leaders of the COMCIPO (Potosi Civil Committee) groups who have managed, before their colleagues, to open this dialogue. Of course this includes valuing the work of our other colleagues who have made respective efforts towards COMCIPO leaders to pave the way for a dialogue," he said.
    The Potosi Civic Committee which also represents residents has previously said the government refused to sit down and discuss their regional issues.
    Potosi, a rural area of the country known for its mining resources, suffers a lack of development, lagging behind the rest of the country and a national economic growth rate of five per cent.
    It is also suffering from high poverty and food and medicine shortages.
    Johnny Llalli, president of the Potosi Civic Committee, called on Morales to step in and move development projects in the impoverished region forward.
    "We call for the presence of President Juan Evo Morales Ayma, mandated by the people of Potosi for the signing of an agreement and commitment assumed by his own government to put an end to the conflict that passes through our (regional) department," said Llalli.
    The protest comes at a difficult time for mining in Bolivia. Twenty percent of Bolivian mining cooperatives are working at a loss due to the fall in mineral prices, raising anger at the government for failures to enact industrialisation plans in Potosi.
    "Perhaps it's a few days away until the Manquiri mine could close its operations in Potosi city. This is basically due to two factors. Perhaps the most difficult and dramatic is that ten days ago the Manquiri mine company, which is a leaching plant and produces silver bullion, is producing absolutely nothing in Potosi city," warned Bolivia's Mining Minister, Cesar Navarro.
    Seeking to raise the pressure on authorities, miners have said they are will to be on strike indefinitely until their demands are met.
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