On Thursday, large swathes of Bolivian coca farmers marched into Bolivia’s capital city La Paz and set fire to the new leaf markets which according to them were illegal.
The coca farmers originally hail from the Yungas region of the country which is just north of La Paz. The farmers traveled for five days and brought along handmade weapons such as Molotov cocktails, dynamites, and firecrackers.
On Thursday, the farmers clashed with the pro-government farmers after breaking through police barricaded roads. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured.
The supposedly illegal lead market was established last year in October. The market was then included in existing coca markets under Bolivian law and Cochabamba. These markets are heavily regulated. The disputes arose between the farmers to determine which wholesale market was the legal one.
The leader of the marchers, Agustin Mamani said that 10000 protestors were marching alongside him. Though there are no official estimates or confirmation of these numbers.
The Bolivian government is taking the brunt of the frustration from the farmers who are blaming the government for establishing a new market. Apaza, the leader of the indigenous tribe has stated the government should shut down the market as soon as possible.
Apaza also says that Bolivian president Luis Arce and his ministers are the real culprits. The protesters have also said that they will not leave the capital until the government complies with their demands.
It’s been four weeks since the start of the protest and till now there has been no progress in stopping the violent attacks near the markets.
For centuries, the coca leaf has been cultivated in the regions of the Andes for its medicinal and nutritional benefits. The leaves have also been involved in the production of cocaine.
The country is notorious for the distribution of hard drugs like cocaine and the government has been cracking down on the illegal supply happening in the country. As coca leaves are a big part of the production of these drugs, it is evident that the government is trying to monitor the market and production closely by establishing pro-government markets.
