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| Bolivian police retreat after coca leaf farmers storm market in La Paz (VIDEOS) | Bolivian police retreat after coca leaf farmers storm market in La Paz (VIDEOS) |
| (14 days later) | |
| Thousands of coca leaf growers seized the main market in Bolivia’s capital, La Paz, on Monday after a week-long dispute over its control. Police used tear gas in an effort to stop them. | Thousands of coca leaf growers seized the main market in Bolivia’s capital, La Paz, on Monday after a week-long dispute over its control. Police used tear gas in an effort to stop them. |
| Riot police fired volleys of tear gas, while protesters hurled stones and firecrackers, and used large garbage containers to set up makeshift barricades. | Riot police fired volleys of tear gas, while protesters hurled stones and firecrackers, and used large garbage containers to set up makeshift barricades. |
| Security forces were ultimately forced to retreat as farmers from a group called the Self-Defense Committee took over the market in the Villa Fatima neighborhood, where 90% of the country’s legal coca leaf is traded, according to the UN. | Security forces were ultimately forced to retreat as farmers from a group called the Self-Defense Committee took over the market in the Villa Fatima neighborhood, where 90% of the country’s legal coca leaf is traded, according to the UN. |
| AFP reported that two protesters and two members of the security forces were injured. | AFP reported that two protesters and two members of the security forces were injured. |
| A group of coca leaf growers from Bolivia’s Las Yungas region is fighting for control of the market with a rival faction reportedly allied with authorities. Las Yungas enjoyed a monopoly on legal coca leaf growing until 2017, when then-President Evo Morales legalized coca production in his home region of Cochabamba. | A group of coca leaf growers from Bolivia’s Las Yungas region is fighting for control of the market with a rival faction reportedly allied with authorities. Las Yungas enjoyed a monopoly on legal coca leaf growing until 2017, when then-President Evo Morales legalized coca production in his home region of Cochabamba. |
| The clashes on Monday followed weeks of protests by indigenous activists who demand that the government respect the rights and customs of their land. | The clashes on Monday followed weeks of protests by indigenous activists who demand that the government respect the rights and customs of their land. |
| “We decided to fight to recover our coca market. We showed that we are the true traditional producers, and not that [pro-government] group that wanted to settle illegally and subject us to the government,” the Departmental Association of Coca Producers (ADEPCOCA) tweeted on Monday. | “We decided to fight to recover our coca market. We showed that we are the true traditional producers, and not that [pro-government] group that wanted to settle illegally and subject us to the government,” the Departmental Association of Coca Producers (ADEPCOCA) tweeted on Monday. |
| Local media quoted the leader of a rival faction, Arnold Alanez, as saying he will purchase a new property to function as marketplace. | Local media quoted the leader of a rival faction, Arnold Alanez, as saying he will purchase a new property to function as marketplace. |
| Coca leaf growers previously clashed with police last month, when several patrol cars were torched. | Coca leaf growers previously clashed with police last month, when several patrol cars were torched. |
| Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! | Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! |
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