At least 35 people were injured this Saturday during a police and military operation to clear a blocked road in San Julián, in eastern Bolivia, amid protests against President Rodrigo Paz.
According to the Ombudsman’s Office of Bolivia, the clashes left 16 civilians and 19 police officers injured. Of the total affected civilians, 15 were discharged with outpatient treatment, while two remain hospitalized. Among the uniformed officers, at least four are hospitalized, and one of them received a gunshot wound to the head.
The operation began during the early hours of the morning on the route connecting Santa Cruz with Beni, one of the main supply routes in eastern Bolivia. According to authorities, the intervention was carried out after exhausting dialogue instances and due to the population’s rejection of the continued blockades.
During the procedure, police and military personnel used tear gas to clear the road. Although the road was temporarily cleared and some vehicles managed to advance, the protesters regrouped and re-established the blockade. After almost four hours of clashes, security forces withdrew for safety reasons.
The departmental commander of the Santa Cruz Police, David Gómez, stated that six police officers were injured, four of them by bullet impacts. He also reported that a group of residents entered the San Julián police station, stole valuable objects, and set fire to the police facilities.
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The road blockades have been going on for almost a month and are led by the Túpac Katari Peasant Federation, the Bolivian Workers’ Central, and sectors allied with former President Evo Morales. The mobilizations demand the resignation of President Rodrigo Paz and have spread across eight of the country’s nine regions.
The crisis has generated scarcity of food, fuel, medicine, and medical oxygen in different areas of Bolivia. According to data from the Ombudsman’s Office, ten people have died during the conflict: seven due to lack of timely medical attention due to the blockades and three others in the context of the protests.
The Bolivian Government accused the protesters of endangering public safety and the country’s productive activity. In parallel, the Executive seeks to advance a norm that regulates states of exception, amid increasing political and social tension.
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