BOLIVIA: Demonstrators clash with police during more protests against Bolivian government's decision to slash fuel subsidies
Record ID:
1547866
BOLIVIA: Demonstrators clash with police during more protests against Bolivian government's decision to slash fuel subsidies
- Title: BOLIVIA: Demonstrators clash with police during more protests against Bolivian government's decision to slash fuel subsidies
- Date: 1st January 2011
- Summary: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA (DECEMBER 30, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS MARCHING THROUGH LA PAZ DEMONSTRATORS DEMANDING THAT GOVERNMENT MEMBERS RESIGN GENERAL VIEW OF ANTI-RIOT POLICE CUTTING OFF AVENUE THAT LEADS TO PRESIDENTIAL PALACE VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS BURNING VENEZUELAN FLAG VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS ATTACKING BUILDING OF MINISTRY OF JUSTICE VARIOUS OF BROKEN WINDOWS IN THE BUILDING WHERE THE VICE PRESIDENT HAS AN OFFICE GENERAL VIEW OF DEMONSTRATORS POLICE PUTTING OUT SMALL FIRES IN STREET VARIOUS OF POLICE USING TEAR GAS TO DISPERSE CROWDS VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS RUNNING AS POLICE USE TEAR GAS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DEMONSTRATOR BRIGIDA CUEVAS SAYING: "The government is starving us, you police agree with this government." VARIOUS OF DEMONSTRATORS ARGUING WITH GOVERNMENT SUPPORTERS VARIOUS OF POLICE USING TEAR GAS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) DEMONSTRATOR ALEJANDRO MOSQUERA SAYING: "The protest is not against the police, it's against the government. Police, we only want bread, nothing else." GENERAL VIEW OF STREET SCENE
- Embargoed: 16th January 2011 02:02
- Keywords:
- Location: Bolivia, Plurinational State Of
- Country: Bolivia, Plurinational State Of
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA5MN1FU281NVCZQCP64OCJC456
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Thousands of demonstrators take to the streets of La Paz to protest against the government's decision to slash fuel subsidies, sending prices soaring.
Bus and truck drivers and powerful citizens' groups took to the streets of La Paz on Thursday (December 30) to protest a fuel price increase in a challenge to leftist President Evo Morales.
The government's decision to slash fuel subsidies -- sending prices soaring by as much as 83 percent after being announced on Sunday -- has sparked outrage in a country rich in natural gas, landing Morales with one of the biggest crises of his five years in power.
Thursday's protests were generally peaceful but dozens of demonstrators set fire to toll booths on the main highway linking El Alto to neighboring La Paz, Bolivia's administrative capital. The protesters hurled sticks and stones at police, who used tear gas to clear the area.
Demonstrators also threw rocks at the Justice Ministry building as well as set garbage on fire outside the building where the Vice President's office is located.
Bus and truck drivers protested by blocking roads and public transportation was crippled in La Paz.
Morales, a close ally of fiery Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, enjoys solid support among Bolivia's poor indigenous majority but the rise in fuel price has angered his leftist base and trade unions have led demands for the increase to be reversed.
Morales, who announced wage increases on Wednesday in an apparent attempt to calm protests over the so-called
"gasolinazo" measure, defended the price hikes again on Thursday as a vital tool to cut imports and spur lagging investment in oil output.
The end of the fuel subsidies is expected to save the state about $380 USD million each year -- equivalent to about 2 percent of gross domestic product.
At least 1,000 people from the sprawling slum city of El Alto marched to nearby La Paz on Thursday, one of many protests planned for the city.
"The government is starving us," Brigida Cuevas shouted.
Between 2003 and 2005, two Bolivian presidents were toppled by protests in which El Alto residents played a leading role.
Elsewhere in highland La Paz, bus and truck drivers, who are on strike, blocked bridges and road junctions. There was nearly no public transportation in the city.
Local media said attackers assaulted several bus drivers who went to work and isolated raids on shops were reported.
Similar incidents occurred in other cities but bus drivers scrapped plans to go on strike in eastern Santa Cruz, the country's economic hub and an opposition stronghold.
Despite persistent power struggles between the lowland east and highland west, Bolivia has enjoyed relative stability since Morales was elected in 2005 as its first indigenous president.
Miners, teachers and peasant farmers often take to the streets to press demands but most still back Morales because of his efforts to redistribute wealth from natural gas reserves.
But opposition to the fuel price increase has united a variety of groups who fear that food, transport and consumer goods will soon be out of the reach for many poor Bolivians.
Morales nationalized the energy industry soon after he took office, vowing to boost domestic fuel production. But progress has been slow and leading foreign companies have been reluctant to increase investments in exploration and refining.
Bolivia is one of South America's poorest countries but has the region's second-largest natural gas reserves, supplying neighboring Brazil and Argentina, but oil production is slight and does not cover domestic needs. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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