Bolivia Violence under Investigation

Sucre, Bolivia, May 26 (PL) - Bolivian Assistant General Prosecutor Mario Uribe assured Sunday there will be an official investigations on the violence wave started Saturday in La Paz, which left 28 people injured, mostly farmers.

Despite President Evo Morales announced he would not take part in the scheduled activities for the 199th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in Latin America, violent groups attacked the Police and farmers, considered to be Morales´ followers.

Preliminary reports said riots were fostered by authorities of so-called Inter Institutional Committee, headed by Jaime Barron, Rector of the University of San Francisco Javier, and Mayoress Aydee Nava.

The Public Ministry should point out who were the responsible people for breaking and entering a great number of dwellings with the objective of taking people out of their homes and beating them.

Leaders of the department of Chiquisaca demanded the central government to give excuses for similar disturbances in November 2007, with three dead people and dozens of injured.

Uribe said that the public activity to be developed Saturday at the Patria Stadium with the participation of President Morales and thousands of farmers was to deliver ambulances donated by Spain and the announcement of new regional development plans.

"The General Prosecutor Office has already started the investigation, the identity of the injured people was established, and there is some denouncing presented by several citizens," Uribe pointed out.

For its part, the Unique Farmers Union Trade Federation of Chuquisaca announced blocking of roads starting Sunday as a protest for the aggressions.

Republished from Prensa Latina