Bolivian Provinces
Strike Demanding Oil
Benefits
LIMA - The Bolivian
provinces of Santa Cruz,
Beni, Pando, Tarija and
Chuquisaca Tuesday
staged a 24-hour strike,
demanding the central
government refund 270
million U.S. dollars'
worth of oil taxes.
The protest, which
included the stopping of
activities, was summoned
by the Democratic
National Counsel (Conalde),
opponents of Bolivian
President Evo Morales.
Conalde is made up of
the governors of those
five provinces and the
Civic Committees in
opposition to Morales.
The strike started after
the president refused to
return the Direct Tax to
the Hydrocarbons (IDH),
which is used to pay
Dignity Rent for people
over 60 years old.
The strike was
relatively calm, except
for incidents between
supporters and opponents
of the strike in the
jurisdiction of Plan
Tres Mil, a poor
district in the suburbs
of Santa Cruz.
President of the Civic
Committee from the
province of Chuquisaca
(south) Jhon Cava said
the strike would be the
only one organized by
Conalde, because they do
not want to sacrifice
more people and the
system.
Cava said that to
continue their demands
Conalde will use other
measures.
|
