Clashes between police and coca growers leave 24 injured and 15 detained in Bolivia

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – In what is now the 6th day of protests to reclaim control of the Departmental Association of Coca Producers (ADEPCOCA) market, the department’s deputy police commander Hernan Romero reported that the agents have been “under siege” for over 5 hours.

He said that a building was set on fire and that explosives were set off by the coca leaf producers trying to retake ADEPCOCA.

Summoned by Self-Defense Committee leader Pedro Poma, the coca growers have also set up a vigil in one of the streets next to the coca market. “We are going to permanently pursue the goal of retaking ADEPCOCA, we will continue descending tomorrow,” he stressed.

The police used tear gas, while the coca producers hurled explosives at the uniformed officers in the area of Villa Fatima, according to La Razon newspaper. Residents denounced the disturbances caused by the police and warned that they will “set up barricades” should the situation persist.

The coca producers’ legal representative Evelyn Cossío said that some have been arrested by mistake. The coca growers’ conflict originated in a dispute over the leadership of ADEPCOCA after Monday’s eviction of the Los Yungas sector from the association’s market, until then under the management of leader Armin Lluta.

A bloc of pro-government coca producers then endorsed leader Arnold Alanes as president of the association, which has since been protected by the police in reaction to protests called by the pro-Lluta sector.