MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Striking Bolivian rank-and-file police disregard officers and reject pay agreement

President Morales has sent the Army to patrol the streets and accuses his enemies of plotting a coup

Striking Bolivian police officers have rejected an accord with the government four days into a nationwide strike to demand higher wages. The protesting rank-and-file police burned copies of the agreement during marches across Bolivia Sunday and said they would elect new representatives.

President Evo Morales who has ordered the Army to patrol the streets in the absence of police forces accused his political foes of using the mutiny to prepare a coup.

The striking police rejected an accord reached overnight that would have raised salaries by 30 dollars a month above the current 194 dollars. They are seeking wages on par with army sergeants, who earn nearly 300.

The protest has been largely peaceful though some injuries occurred last week when about 30 police and their wives launched the mutiny with the occupation of a La Paz police barracks

A communiqué from the Ministry of Defence said the armed forces have strengthened security in several cities “in order to safeguard the welfare and safety of the population”.

Defence Minister Ruben Saavedra announced that the Military Police had doubled the number of troops patrolling the main cities of the country to prevent attacks on private property and excessive drinking of alcohol over the San Juan holidays.

“To carry out this mission the army has increased the number of troops protecting the citizenry by 25%; the areas they will be responsible for safeguarding in Bolivian territory will be doubled,” the note said.

Rank-and-file police launched the mutiny on Thursday to demand that President Evo Morales raise their pay scale to bring it in line with that of the armed forces.

Police officers said they earn 170 dollars a month, while a soldier of equal rank is paid double. Bolivia has a statutory minimum monthly salary of 145 dollars, while median pay in 2011 was around 550 dollars monthly.

The police uprising was at its worst when hundreds of cops and their wives ransacked a building that housed the police intelligence division and disciplinary tribunal, setting files, computers and furniture on fire and destroying doors and windows.

The Military Police marched on Friday to take over Murillo Plaza where the presidential palace and Congress are located, while the streets of La Paz were left without police protection or traffic control, prompting banks and many stores to close early.