Update from Bolivia

international | anti-capitalism | news report Monday October 13, 2003 20:34 by Sian Muldowney sianmuldowney at yahoo dot co dot uk Tupiza, Bolivia

The struggle against the sale of Bolivia`s natural gas to the US and Mexico continues. Martial Law has been declared and the violence has escalated.

Since the last time I reported from Bolivia the situation has worsened. The violence has escalated and the blockades have increased, now nearly all the major roads are blocked. The people are still determined to resist the sale of their natural gas to the United States and Mexcio.

Minutes ago, I was watching images of La Paz on the television. The streets are full of riot police and the center has been cordoned off. Riot police over here are armed with automatic weapons and tear gas grenandes among other things.

The government have imposed martial law on El Alto, a city 10 kms outside of La Paz, following major clashes between the army and protestors. El Alto is the fastest growing city in South America and there is a very high level of poverty. It was here that the blockades were first erected over 5 weeks ago. The estimated number of those dead range between 16 and 24 (depending on who you listen to) with over 30 injured. Among the dead was a 7 year old boy who was killed by a stray bullet. A government spokesman said that the decision to impose martial law on El Alto was taken after the protestors attacked soldiers with rockets and firearms.

The blockades have been amazingly successful. La Paz has been experiencing a serious shortage of fuel and food as supplies have been unable to reach the city due to the protests. The army escorted 12 trucks into the city to supply some of the many who have been queing at petrol stations.

Evo Morales, of the Movement Towards Socialism Party, is still calling for the resignation of Lozada, the president. The president has also received severe criticism from within his own cabinet. The vice-president stated that he was withdrawing his support from Lozada and that the violence of the last few days was completly unjustified. The president has stated that he has no intention of resigning and will stay in office until his mandate in 2007.

The campesiños continue to call for the nationalisation of the gas. The country is coming to a virtual standstill. It is unclear how this will play out in the coming days.