Bolivia's Ombudsman's Office reported this Saturday (16) that the military and police operation to unblock highways in the La Paz department resulted in 47 people detained and five injured. Ombudsman Pedro Callisaya detailed that the detainees are in the cities of La Paz and El Alto, and that the institution is monitoring the situation to ensure legal assistance. Among the injured, there are citizens with eye and facial injuries who received medical care.
Callisaya also denounced attacks on journalists during the coverage of the protests. The National Press Association (ANP) stated that two reporters from local TV channels were attacked in the Lipari sector, south of La Paz, where blockaders violently detained them and destroyed a cell phone. The ANP classified the attack as an "organized ambush."
The Ombudsman's Office also recorded "situations of confrontation between mobilized sectors and residents" at various blockade points, in addition to "humanitarian impacts" resulting from the 11-day strike. The entity received reports of possible human rights violations during the operations, which are under verification.
Callisaya reiterated the appeal for dialogue and informed that the Ombudsman's Office is evaluating, with the Catholic Church, the creation of a space for de-escalation of the conflict and reconciliation. The Bolivian Workers' Center (COB) and the Federation of Peasants of La Paz "Tupac Katari" lead the protests, demanding the resignation of President Luis Arce, whom they accuse of not solving the country's problems.
The joint operation aimed to clear the main highways connecting La Paz to the rest of the country and open a "humanitarian corridor" for trucks carrying fuel and medical oxygen. However, there was resistance in areas such as Río Seco in El Alto, where protesters used stones and dynamite against tear gas. The main highway to Oruro was partially cleared, but the government ordered the withdrawal of police and military to avoid "bloodshed."