Protests against President Luis Arce in Bolivia leave one dead

The anti-government protests do not stop in several cities of Bolivia after the death of a protester on the third day of the strike called by street vendors, transporters and opposition organizations against laws promoted by the government of Luis Arce, from the party of Evo Morales, and in demand of economic reactivation measures.

A 22-year-old protester died Tuesday night in the southern city of Potosí, the Ombudsman said in a statement.

The young man allegedly died of bronchial aspiration in the midst of street clashes between pro-government groups that wanted to break the blockades in streets and avenues and anti-government protesters, he declared. Juan Carlos Manuel, leader of the Civic Committee of Potosí that called for the strike. The authorities have not confirmed the cause of death.

Several vehicles were burned in that city – 410 kilometers south of La Paz – where the day before was the most violent day since the national protest began. Arce he suspended his visit to that city, which celebrates its anniversary on Wednesday, for “the acts of violence“Said the government spokesman Jorge Richter.

Santa Cruz, in the east; Cochabamba, in the center, and Tarija, in the south, have been the other cities where clashes between police and protesters were recorded with several injuries.

The organizers of the protest called for the strike to continue, he said. Romulus Calvo, president of the Civic Committee of Santa Cruz, epicenter of protests against a law “to fight against the legitimation of illicit profits and financing of terrorism”That the government promotes at the demand of world powers and international financial organizations.

The protests demand the repeal of the norm that they consider “confiscation“, said Francisco Figueroa, leader of street vendors and small merchants, the union with more than half a million members in a country where informality is above 70%, according to experts.

The protesters also call for reactivation measures for an economy hit by the pandemic. Meanwhile, Arce accused opponents of trying to destabilize his government.

Arce completed his first year in office on Monday in a confronted Bolivia and faces growing social discontent from allied sectors that demand measures against the crisis.

In addition, the government and the opposition are strongly confronted by revenge derived from the political crisis of 2019 when elections denounced as fraudulent ignited a social protest with 37 deaths that precipitated the resignation of then-President Evo Morales.

Morales is the leader of the ruler Movement to Socialism (MAS), which controls the majority in the Legislative Assembly, and is accused by the opposition of influencing the government of his political heir.