The Bolivian police have managed to free a group of regional deputies of the ruling Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) in the Departmental Legislative Assembly of Santa Cruz, a bastion of the opposition, after more than three hours blocked by supporters and opposition deputies.
During the blockade the MAS elected officials were assaulted and harassed by the demonstrators. The events occurred on Friday at the end of the inaugural session of the regional Assembly.
The MAS spokesperson in the chamber, Raquel Valencia, has denounced that deputies and militants of the Creemos party surrounded the building and prevented them from leaving the place. One of the deputies, Nélida Jaldín, was rushed to a medical center after the police operation, reports Bolivia TV.
«Unfortunately, we have been held hostage for more than three hours. We have to suffer aggressions and humiliations inside the Assembly, provoked by the same assemblywomen of Creemos (who) summoned delinquents to come and threaten to burn us, to beat us and to mess with our families», lamented MAS deputy Hugo Valverde as he left the building.
«We are very worried about our colleague Nélida Jaldín, her pressure went up and she could have had a heart attack. They thought we were playing with this situation,» said Assemblywoman Muriel Cruz.
Valencia blamed the fact on the president of the departmental legislature, Zvonko Matkovic, and the Creemos assemblywoman Paola Aguirre. «We may think differently, but that does not mean that they are going to plan all this,» argued Valencia.
Along with the group of assembly members, the journalist and the cameraman of state-owned Bolivia TV were also detained and when they tried to leave the place they were assaulted.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
