October 17, 2024, 4:00 AM
October 17, 2024, 4:00 AM
The third day of indefinite blockade in Cochabamba marked the tension in the country after the clashes that broke out between the Police and social organizations loyal to former President Evo Morales. The sectors radicalized their pressure during the 24 hours of Wednesday because they increased the route closure points in the Cochabamba tropics from five to nine, leaving the region isolated from the west and east of Bolivia.
That led to a police contingent arriving at the end of Wednesday afternoon. the Epizana arealocated in the Carrasco province that connects Cochabamba with Chuquisaca and Santa Cruz, in order to clear the road, something that was not easy since the fight lasted for at least three hours.
Hours before, Morales’ loyalists set fire to the grasslands on the hill where there are pine and eucalyptus forests which are typical in that populated area of the country, while a few meters away several tanker trucks with diesel and gasoline were observed that were stranded on the road waiting for an intermediate period to advance and supply the fuel, causing more tension.
The police contingent came across this first wall and quickly put out these flames to avoid a tragedy and then with shields and helmets they advanced to unblock the road that was covered with large stones. There the blockaders, backed by other groups that were sheltered from the hill, resisted and They used the stones to prevent the unlockingwhile the troops used tear gas to disperse them. As a result of this confrontation, one police officer was injured.
The Government Minister, Eduardo Del Castilloreported that on Wednesday there were nine point locksall concentrated in Cochabamba, and that for this reason operations were going to begin with law enforcement forces to unblock and guarantee transitability.
What’s more, the authority stated that a contingent from Chuquisaca and another contingent from Santa Cruz would leave for the Cochabamba tropics with the mission of clearing the roads.
“A police contingent advanced from Cochabamba and Santa Cruz, which has generated three unblocking points. The contingent will continue to guarantee freedom of movement. “We are analyzing sending a contingent from Chuquisaca to Cochabamba, we cannot, due to personal interests, continue sacrificing different departments and we will make use of our tools,” he stated. Del Castillo at a press conference Wednesday night in La Paz.
According to the passability map of the Bolivian Road Administrator (ABC), blocking points They are fulfilled in the area of San Jacinto, Bulo Bulo, Puente Lope Mendoza, Cruce Vacas, Suticollo, Rodeo, Pongo, Bombeo and Surima.
They ask to drop charges against Evo
A letter sent by the so-called ‘people’s general staff’ to President Luis Arce Catacora made it clear that the pressure measures will be lifted once drop the charges against former President Evo Moraleswhich is investigated by the Tarija Prosecutor’s Office for the crimes of human trafficking and aggravated statutory rape. In addition, the social organizations formed by the Unity Pact demand that the Bolivian president comply with their 10-point request list.
Among these demands It is up to the Government to repeal Supreme Decree No. 4910, which prohibits the sale of gasoline and/or diesel in drums because it affects small rural producers; the repeal of Supreme Decree No. 5195 on wheat imports with zero tariffs; repeal Supreme Decree No. 5225 on Environmental Pause because it will be the origin of the food crisis; the repeal of Supreme Decree No. 4732 because it violates private ownership of the assets of citizens
They also ask for an end to what they call the judicial persecution against Evo Morales and that the Lauca Ñ congress be recognized, where the sectors proclaimed the coca leader as president of the MAS and presidential candidate.
The Police response to the blockades comes after the change of the Military High Command and the replacement of the nine commanders in the departments on Monday, October 14.
On that occasion, the Government Minister stated that no police officer has the position bought and demanded work and a structural and comprehensive change within the law enforcement forces, in view of the bicentennial of the Bolivian Police.
“Today, more than ever, we need a Police that acts and carries out its interventions based on evidence, with a much more human service approach and without losing the principle of authority,” said Del Castillo in the commander’s presentation in Santa Cruz to the uniformed.
On the other hand, the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) reported that as a result of the blockades in Cochabamba, it caused the death of a tanker driver who took another access route in response to that measure; In addition, an excess demand for fuel was generated at service stations.
“Alternate routes have been seen for diverting tankers to reach the plant. Yesterday (Tuesday) we had an incident in which the tanker that was being removed from the separation plant had an accident and the driver died,” lamented the director of the ANH, Germán Jiménez, at a press conference.
Victim would be in Argentina
During the conference in La Paz, the Minister of Government, Eduardo Del Castillo, reported that according to the hypothesis being used is that the alleged victim of rape of Evo Morales in 2015in addition to the youngest of eight years, is that They would not be in national territory but in Argentina.
“There are two hypotheses where the woman would be found and that is that she would be in the country or she could be in Argentina because of the border with Yacuiba,” he said.
The road closures are concentrated in the tropics of Cochabambabeing isolated from the west and the east.
The Minister of Government, Eduardo Del Castillo, reported that dThe contingents of Chuquisaca and Santa Cruz They will be sent to Cochabamba.
They ask to annul criminal proceedings
The ‘evism’ requested that the complaints against Evo are deactivated to lift the blockades immediately.
