Violent Clashes in Bolivia

Filed in archive Latin Issues , Latin News on November 26, 2007

Terrible news from Bolivia:

Clashes between Bolivia's police and opponents of a new constitution that's backed by President Evo Morales left three dead and about 130 wounded, Efe newswire said.

Riots and looting broke out in the southeastern city of Sucre, the country's political capital, after about 150 delegates to a constituent assembly approved the draft constitution inside a military academy in a first ballot, Efe said.

Two anti- government demonstrators and a police officer were killed in the past two days, Efe said, adding that calm was restored after the police yesterday withdrew from Sucre's streets. (Source)

President Evo Morales' constitutional reform has caused very serious incidents in the last two days. Not only three people were killed and about 130 got hurt, but about 120 prisoners escaped from jail yesterday, in Sucre.

The criminals took advantage of the weak police control - most police officers were dealing with the violence in the streets.

Now, you've got to ask: are these constitutional reforms worth all this madness? Are they so bad, it's worth to kill and injure people in order to fight against them?

I'm thinking... not?