Ex-Bolivian leader starts hunger strike amid rioting supporters
Bolivia's ex-president Evo Morales has announced that he is embarking on a hunger strike. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
**Evo Morales’ Allies Set Up Roadblocks as Protesters Clash with Police**
Former Bolivian president Evo Morales announced a hunger strike on Friday, intensifying a standoff between his supporters and the government.
For 19 days, groups aligned with Morales have been blocking major roads in protest against President Luis Arce’s economic policies and alleging unfair prosecution of Morales.
“We do not want bloodshed. We have always sought a sincere dialogue,” Morales wrote on X, while urging activists to “consider an intermission” in setting up roadblocks.
“In the meantime, we will go on a hunger strike. The government must withdraw all military and police troops,” the ex-president stated. He called for discussions on “economic and political issues” and pledged to seek mediation from “international organizations and friendly countries.”
This plea followed Arce's ultimatum issued on Wednesday, where he threatened to “exercise its constitutional powers” unless the roadblocks were removed. On Friday, police dismantled multiple barricades along a highway linking Cochabamba to other regions in the country.
“Our government has always supported dialogue. However, no dialogue is possible while the economy of the Bolivian families continues to be threatened and the right to have access to food, fuel and medicine is violated,” Arce remarked. Reports indicate at least 19 police officers were hospitalized after confrontations with protesters near Parotani, according to Health Minister Maria Rene Castro.
In another development, Government Minister Eduardo del Castillo reported that 66 individuals have been arrested.
In a separate statement, Arce claimed that “armed groups affiliated with Evo Morales” had overtaken three military bases in the Cochabamba province and held soldiers and their families hostage, although no casualties have been reported.
The Armed Forces of Bolivia have directed the “irregular armed groups” to disband, warning that “taking up arms against the homeland is considered treason" and jeopardizes “the security and sovereignty of the country.”
Social media posts showed alleged captured military personnel surrounded by individuals wielding sharpened sticks.
Evo Morales, once a charismatic left-wing leader who first won the presidency in 2006, left the country in 2019 amid widespread protests over alleged voting fraud. He has since claimed he was the victim of a US-backed coup.
Arce, who was elected in 2020 as Morales’s ally, has since become a rival, contesting leadership within the Movement for Socialism party.
Last month, a Bolivian court issued an arrest warrant for Morales on charges of “aggravated rape with human trafficking” for purportedly having sexual relations with a minor. Morales has asserted his innocence, claiming the charges are politically driven.
He accused the government of attempting to kill him after his vehicle was shot at on Sunday. The Arce administration rejected this assertion, with Government Minister Eduardo del Castillo alleging that Morales staged the assassination attempt.
Arce’s presidency has faced ongoing protests related to the deteriorating economic conditions in Bolivia. On June 26, 2024, disgruntled military officers had deployed armored vehicles in downtown La Paz, only to agree to withdraw later that day following international pressure and condemnation from Arce's government.
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
Former Bolivian president Evo Morales announced a hunger strike on Friday, intensifying a standoff between his supporters and the government.
For 19 days, groups aligned with Morales have been blocking major roads in protest against President Luis Arce’s economic policies and alleging unfair prosecution of Morales.
“We do not want bloodshed. We have always sought a sincere dialogue,” Morales wrote on X, while urging activists to “consider an intermission” in setting up roadblocks.
“In the meantime, we will go on a hunger strike. The government must withdraw all military and police troops,” the ex-president stated. He called for discussions on “economic and political issues” and pledged to seek mediation from “international organizations and friendly countries.”
This plea followed Arce's ultimatum issued on Wednesday, where he threatened to “exercise its constitutional powers” unless the roadblocks were removed. On Friday, police dismantled multiple barricades along a highway linking Cochabamba to other regions in the country.
“Our government has always supported dialogue. However, no dialogue is possible while the economy of the Bolivian families continues to be threatened and the right to have access to food, fuel and medicine is violated,” Arce remarked. Reports indicate at least 19 police officers were hospitalized after confrontations with protesters near Parotani, according to Health Minister Maria Rene Castro.
In another development, Government Minister Eduardo del Castillo reported that 66 individuals have been arrested.
In a separate statement, Arce claimed that “armed groups affiliated with Evo Morales” had overtaken three military bases in the Cochabamba province and held soldiers and their families hostage, although no casualties have been reported.
The Armed Forces of Bolivia have directed the “irregular armed groups” to disband, warning that “taking up arms against the homeland is considered treason" and jeopardizes “the security and sovereignty of the country.”
Social media posts showed alleged captured military personnel surrounded by individuals wielding sharpened sticks.
Evo Morales, once a charismatic left-wing leader who first won the presidency in 2006, left the country in 2019 amid widespread protests over alleged voting fraud. He has since claimed he was the victim of a US-backed coup.
Arce, who was elected in 2020 as Morales’s ally, has since become a rival, contesting leadership within the Movement for Socialism party.
Last month, a Bolivian court issued an arrest warrant for Morales on charges of “aggravated rape with human trafficking” for purportedly having sexual relations with a minor. Morales has asserted his innocence, claiming the charges are politically driven.
He accused the government of attempting to kill him after his vehicle was shot at on Sunday. The Arce administration rejected this assertion, with Government Minister Eduardo del Castillo alleging that Morales staged the assassination attempt.
Arce’s presidency has faced ongoing protests related to the deteriorating economic conditions in Bolivia. On June 26, 2024, disgruntled military officers had deployed armored vehicles in downtown La Paz, only to agree to withdraw later that day following international pressure and condemnation from Arce's government.
Jessica Kline contributed to this report for TROIB News
