Official: Striking miners kill deputy minister in Bolivia
LA PAZ, Bolivia — Striking informal miners in Bolivia kidnapped and beat to death the country’s deputy interior minister on Thursday after he travelled to the area to mediate in the bitter conflict over mining laws, officials said.
Government Minister Carlos Romero called it a “cowardly and brutal killing” and asked that the miners turn over the body of his deputy, Rodolfo Illanes, who holds the formal title of vice minister of the interior regime.
Illanes was “savagely beaten” to death by the striking miners, Defence Minister Reymi Ferreira told Red Uno television, his voice breaking.
Earlier, Romero had said that Illanes had been kidnapped and possibly tortured, but that he could not confirm local media reports that he had been killed by the striking miners, who are demanding more rights, including the right to associate with private companies.