MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Social unrest in Bolivia extends.

A new day of violence in the outskirts of the capital of La Paz, the capital of landlocked Bolivia, left a toll of five people killed and at least fifteen wounded, totalling fourteen deaths since the current unrest erupted a month ago.

The latest casualties, mostly of gunshots, occurred in the proximity of a fuel depot distribution centre where heavily armed riot police with helicopter support are attempting to organize convoy of trucks to relieve the main gasoline stations of La Paz that have dried up following a national stoppage of activities since last mid week.

Actually La Paz is now virtually under siege with strikers' barricades impeding the inflow of fresh produce and fuel to the city. Shops and businesses have joined the stoppage fearing looting and further violence.

Bolivian unions, Indian organizations and regional civilian councils are protesting the government's decision to export natural gas through Chilean territory and since president Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada has refused a referendum on the issue, protestors are demanding his resignation.

President Sánchez de Lozada has called riot police and the Army to help maintain order and protect government buildings.

Airlines operating from El Alto international airport close to where the main rioting area, have announced the cancellation of flights.

Bolivia one of the poorest countries in the world and famous for its coca growers actually sits over a bubble of natural gas that the current government wants to begin exporting it to the US Pacific coast. However the gas pipeline would have to cross Chilean territory that Bolivia claims since the 1879 conflict when the country lost its sea exit during the Pacific war involving Bolivia and Peru against Chile.

This is a particularly sensitive political issue since Bolivia and Chile even today have no formal diplomatic relations.

Bolivia since Spanish conquest time when it was known for its silver deposits and later on, since the early 1800 as one of the world's main tin producers has always depended heavily on mineral exports. But depressed tin prices in the eighties forced the closure of mines sending many miners to find new sources of subsistence, primarily growing coca from which cocaine is refined.

United States abundant aid to convince Indians to abandon coca and plant corn has failed both because of local corruption and the fact that drug lords pay far more for the autochthonous leaves.

Further more Indian organizations, coca farmers and peasants have entered politics becoming a growing force in Bolivian democracy with strong representation in Congress endangering the traditional party alliances worked out in La Paz.

The irony is that the current social and economic turmoil is taking place when Bolivia is celebrating 21 years of uninterrupted and unparalleled democratically elected government. Actually Bolivia until 1982 was the most unstable country in South America with as many governments and military coups as years of independence.

But in spite of democracy, according to United Nations six out of ten Bolivians live in total poverty and in rural areas this jumps to nine out of ten. The country's wealth in a population of 8,3 million, is concentrated in 5% mainly of European stock.

President Sánchez de Lozada is betting heavily in natural gas to drive Bolivia out of misery but with dwindling political support and involvement in highly sensitive issues, the future looks full of dark clouds.

Rumours of Congressional intervention to unlock the crisis, with support from the Bolivian Armed Forces are insistent in La Paz.