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Caranavis strike to demand citrus processing plant

Posted: Nate on Apr 29 | Business & Economy, Transportation

People in the municipality of Caranavi, about 176 kilometers from La Paz, announced yesterday that citizens would hold a civic strike and strengthen the blockades that have limited traffic on four points on a North Yungas highway.  The protests are against the national government after it announced that a citrus processing plant previously planned for construction in Caranavi, will instead be built in Alto Beni.

According to Richard Quispe, an organizer of the protests, “For those who say we´re 30 or 40 [protesters], there are thousands of people here in these blockades…our numbers are formidable.”  On April 4, President Morales announced the planned construction of three new citrus processing plants, one of which was to be built in Caranavi.  Now the government plans to move the planned Caranavi plant to Alto Beni, said the protest´s organizers.  “We have nine picketing groups, the people are striking and we will continue until the last consequences,” continued Mr. Quispe.

In the roadblock near El Choro, dozens of trucks and other vehicles have been blocked from continuing to La Paz and their passengers have been sleeping their vehicles since Monday.  Yesterday bus drivers who travel the route to the Yungas held a counter-protest in La Paz supporting their colleagues stuck on the highway.  “This morning [yesterday] we closed our offices and now we´re leaving for the Yungas with the risk of being blocked.  If the blockade continues tomorrow we´ll march in La Paz,” said Wálter Luque, a driver for the bus company Flota Yungueña.  Yesterday bus service continued only until Coroico while service to Rurrenabaque, Caranavi, and the departments of Pando and Beni was still cut off from La Paz.  Officials for the government said that the agreement over the processing plants has been finalized but also said that the government is not planning action to break the strikes.

For more in Spanish see:

http://www.laprensa.com.bo/noticias/29-04-10/noticias.php?nota=29_04_10_ciud1.php

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