Bolivian police targeted with fireworks as protests enter sixth day

Record ID: 1705132

  • Title: Bolivian police targeted with fireworks as protests enter sixth day
  • Date: 3rd January 2023
  • Summary: SANTA CRUZ, BOLIVIA (JANUARY 2, 2023) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING HOLDING BOLIVIAN FLAGS PROTESTERS BANGING POT LIDS PROTESTER HOLDING SIGN READING (Spanish): ‘FREEDOM FOR THE POLITICAL PRISONERS’ SIGN HANGING FROM PROTESTER’S NECK READING (Spanish): ‘NO TO STATE TERRORISM!’ (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PROTESTER, LUIS ARUQUIPA, SAYING: “We cannot allow the government to install a dictatorship, to violate our rights, kidnapping citizens, moving them from one department to another.” PROTESTERS MARCHING SIGN WITH DRAWINGS OF SANTA CRUZ AND BOLIVIA FLAGS, READING (Spanish): ‘FREEDOM! JUSTICE!’ PROTESTERS HOLDING LARGE BOLIVIA FLAGS POLICE LOOKING AT PROTESTERS
  • Embargoed: 17th January 2023 04:16
  • Keywords: Bolivia Luis Camacho Santa Cruz protests
  • Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS, BOLIVIA
  • City: VARIOUS LOCATIONS, BOLIVIA
  • Country: Bolivia
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,South America / Central America,Civil Unrest
  • Reuters ID: LVA003001603012023RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Protesters set off fireworks at police on Monday (January 2) night in the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz during the sixth day of protests following the arrest of local governor Luis Camacho.
    Protesters in Bolivia's farming region of Santa Cruz also blocked highways out of the province, threatening to snarl the domestic transport of grains and food.
    The region, a stronghold of the conservative opposition to socialist President Luis Arce, has seen thousands of people take to the streets and clashes with weaponized fireworks and cars burned.
    On Monday, hundreds of protesters marched to the city police headquarters in support of Camacho, demanding his release.
    “We cannot allow the government to install a dictatorship," protester Luis Aruquipa told Reuters.
    On the nearby streets were burnt-out vehicles, smoldering fires and blockades from the overnight clashes.
    The protests, sparked by the Dec. 28 arrest of Camacho over an alleged coup in 2019, are deepening divides between lowland Santa Cruz and the highland, more indigenous political capital La Paz, which have long butted heads over politics and state funds.
    Camacho was seized by special police forces, taken out of the province by helicopter and is now in a maximum security jail in the highland city El Alto. He denies all charges that relate to the divisive removal of former socialist leader Evo Morales in 2019.
    Bolivia's Health and Sports Minister Jeyson Auza said during a news conference on Tuesday that Camacho was in good health.
    Santa Cruz leaders pledge to fight until Camacho is released, picketing government buildings and stopping transport of grains. There are also calls for a federal system giving the city more autonomy and state funds.
    (Production: Santiago Limachi, Sergio Limachi, Monica Machicao, Nina Lopez)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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