One Dead in Protests Over Water Prices in Bolivia
ANDRIA HALL, CNN ANCHOR: Authorities in Bolivia have declared a state of emergency after a series of protests there. One person died near La Paz Saturday, as the army tried to dismantle road blocks set up by farmers protesting the price of water. Monica Machicao is a reporter with Reuters news service, and she joins us now by telephone with the very from La Paz. Monica, what can you tell us?</s>MONICA MACHICAO, REUTERS NEWS SERVICE: Andria, Bolivian President Hugo Banzer has declared a state of emergency to stop the violent protests that for five days paralyzed one of the poorest countries in Latin America. In Cochabamba, the third-largest city in Bolivia, one young man died today in the demonstration against the increase of water rates. Hundreds of policemen reacted, using tear gas against the protesters. Several of the most important departments are still paralyzed due to the road blocks. Even though the army is at this road, the peasants asking for better living conditions maintained the road block for the fifth day. The government side feels the result of this chaos. The markets of La Paz today was difficult to find meat and vegetables. But the situation can get worse. More than 4,000 police officers have started a mutiny today that already gather at five local police departments. Bolivian police protesters are for an increase in their salary of less than $70 a month. Critics of President Hugo Banzer, a dictator in the '70s, believe that this situation is the result of three years of a government that did not accomplish its campaign promises and that cannot rule the country without a plan.</s>HALL: That was Monica Machicao reporting from La Paz, Bolivia. Search CNN.com CNNSI.com CNNmoney.com The Web