The right-wing president issued an arrest warrant for Mario Argollo, the leader of the Bolivian Workers’ Center.

On Tuesday, National Police Commander Mirko Sokol confirmed that the protests against Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz, which devolved into “vandalism” in La Paz, resulted in more than 127 arrests.

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Sokol stated that those arrested will face serious charges, including “economic sabotage” and “intentional damage,” emphasizing that the government will not tolerate further “abuses” against the population.

Officers responded with tear gas to prevent the march toward Plaza Murillo, the seat of the executive and legislative branches. The repression extended beyond the capital: peasant unions have maintained road blockades for 14 days in the department of La Paz, causing shortages of food, fuel, and oxygen.

The police crackdown left eleven officers injured, two of them seriously. Meanwhile, a non-commissioned officer was brutally beaten at a cable car station, leaving him unconscious and at risk of losing his sight.

The government issued arrest warrants for Mario Argollo, leader of the COB, and other leaders, accusing them of inciting public disorder and terrorism, thus intensifying the political persecution.

The protests brought together supporters of Former President Evo Morales, peasant unions, and social organizations from El Alto, all demanding Paz’s resignation. They clashed with police, throwing stones, dynamite, and firecrackers.

There was also damage to public and private buildings, looting of furniture, the burning of a police vehicle, and attacks on small businesses, as well as assaults on journalists covering the demonstrations.

The conflict reflects the growing political and social tension in Bolivia, where the government’s response has focused on mass arrests and the criminalization of protest, deepening Paz’s crisis of legitimacy.

teleSUR: JP

Source: EFE

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