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🇧🇴 Bolivia /Crime & Justice

Coca growers seize police checkpoint in Bolivia’s Chapare region

From El Deber · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

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  • Coca growers from six federations in Cochabamba’s Chapare region occupied a checkpoint in El Castillo, Villa Tunari.
  • They protested the detention of a grower whose vehicle was found carrying lime, which they say has legitimate agricultural uses.
  • The demonstrators later held talks with officers and said they wanted controls to continue without alleged abuses of authority.

Coca growers in Bolivia’s Chapare region occupied a police checkpoint in El Castillo, in Villa Tunari, accusing anti-drug officers of abusing their authority.

The growers took control of the toll checkpoint on Wednesday night and waited for the anti-drug police chief, whom they wanted to confront over the detention of one of their members. The man had been stopped after authorities found lime in his vehicle.

The growers said fish farmers also use lime to disinfect tambaquí ponds and regulate soil pH. They argued that the product is sold freely and without restrictions, and therefore accused officers from Umopar of improperly detaining the driver and holding the vehicle.

After speaking with officers on duty, the demonstrators agreed to withdraw from the area. They said they were not demanding an end to inspections, but wanted officers conducting searches to avoid alleged abuses of authority.

About this summary

Originally published by El Deber in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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