Evista blockade becomes radicalized in Cochabamba; Police intervene in La Paz and Oruro

The blockade of followers of Evo Morales is radicalized in the department of Cochabamba. It is only in that region of the country where there is a traffic interruption, since, in other areas, such as Oruro and La Paz, the Police managed to deactivate evista mobilizations. There are two arrested after the police intervention. From Morales’ side they say that Luis Arce has two options: advance elections or resign from the Presidency.

Yesterday marked the eighth day of the evista block. This protest left the department of Cochabamba isolated, the region where most of the 15 vehicular traffic cuts were installed, according to the report issued yesterday. However, in the departments of Oruro, Potosí and Santa Cruz there were also blocking points, according to the Trafficability report of the Bolivian Highway Administrator (ABC).

This entity reported yesterday 15 blocked points, mainly in the tropics of Cochabamba and the upper Cochabamba valley, although there were two in the towns of Ventilla and Crucero, in Challapata, on the route between Oruro and Potosí. In Santa Cruz, a blockade was evident in the Portachuelo area.

Cochabamba is the department most affected by the blockades. In total in that region there are ten affected areas, so there is no passage through the old and new highway to Santa Cruz. While the protests caused bus departures from this department to the west of the country to be suspended.

Yesterday, the evistas reinforced the closure of roads in the municipality of Parotani, in Cochabamba, with more people and stones. A week ago, the road closure began at kilometer 39 of the highway and now the blockades have advanced to kilometer 31. The drivers stranded in that area say that they are going hungry because they do not have access to food and they have run out of money. The interdepartmental bus drivers complain to their companies for the lack of help, since they earn per day worked.

The hundreds of vehicles detained in Parotani are empty interdepartmental transport vehicles, heavy-duty trucks, tankers and private cars.

The armed camp on the Parotani bridge yesterday had a greater number of tents and people compared to the first days of the blockade. People continue to move stones, logs, branches, thorns and the detonation of dynamite and firecrackers is more frequent in the area.

Yesterday, the organizations that defend former President Evo Morales, investigated for alleged aggravated rape and human trafficking, extended their protests to other areas of the country. In the municipality of Caracollo, Oruro, the mobilized early set up a blockade in the middle of the La Paz-Oruro dual carriageway. However, the Police intervened in that protest.

The departmental commander of the Police in Oruro, Gonzalo Torrico, reported that around 80 mining cooperative members were blocking Caracollo and that, upon seeing the police presence, they used dynamite sticks.

“Given this situation, we had to use force and we restored order by enabling the double lane and, together with ABC personnel, we removed the rubble. We also have four people arrested, one of them female who, in addition, was carrying 4,000 bolivianos,” the police chief reported in a contact with the state channel.

In total, nine people were arrested who were blocking the La Paz-Oruro dual carriageway. Two were sent to prison with six months of preventive detention, while the others involved were granted house arrest.

Another of the sites that was attempted to be blocked yesterday was at the entrance to the municipality of Caranavi, in the north of La Paz; However, it was also intervened by the Police. Intercultural radio reported that the attempted blockade occurred in the Turko Kala sector and that, during the police intervention, an executive of the colonizers, identified as Omar Colque, was captured.

For its part, Tele Norte Caranavi reported that a group of people approached the police station yesterday demanding the release of their leader. That sector warned with protests.

Meanwhile, deputy Gualberto Arispe, from the Evista side, stated that President Arce “has two paths: advance the elections or resign. That is the shortest path that Luis Arce Catacora has at this moment, because he has already lost the total credibility of the Bolivian people.”

The Secretary of International Relations of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) of the ‘arcist’ wing, Fidel Surco, announced that he will go before the international community and left-wing governments to denounce that former president Evo Morales seeks to carry out a coup d’état against Luis’ administration. Maple with road block.

The blockade of the Chapare coca growers and Evista organizations is in defense of their leader, Evo Morales, and in rejection of the possibility of consolidating an arrest warrant against him for a case of human trafficking and aggravated rape. for which it is investigated. In addition, they demand a solution to the economic crisis.