Bolivian police clash with miners protesting for new licenses

As night fell on Monday, police in La Paz clashed with protesters who had tried to take over the headquarters of the National Service for Protected Areas (Sernap) and the government's mining authority, according to images published by local media.

After the failed occupation attempt, several institutions were "placed under police protection," vice-minister of the interior Jhonny Aguilera told reporters.

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The police did not report any injuries or arrests.

The clashes broke out when miners from the Federation of Gold Mining Cooperatives of Bolivia (Fecmabol), who declared an indefinite strike starting Monday, broke glass on the facades of the government buildings with stones and tried to knock down doors and windows.

The powerful organization had earlier marched through the streets of La Paz seeking a meeting with President Luis Arce.

The group's leaders have presented a list of 10 demands to the government, including the awarding of new mining licenses in areas that conservationists say should be preserved.

They are also protesting against a new law that sets a 4.8 percent tax on gross sales.

"We are not going to abandon the city of La Paz until we achieve our objectives," Fecmabol leader Roger Coata warned.

The vice-minister of mining, Marcelo Ballesteros, has signaled that the government is open to dialogue, without confirming a meeting between the protesters' representatives and Arce.

According to official statistics, Bolivia exported 53.3 tons of gold in 2021 worth more than $2.5 billion.