SITUATION REPORT AS OF 1100 HOURS LOCAL TIME

Document Type: 
Collection: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
06725094
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
U
Document Page Count: 
3
Document Creation Date: 
March 8, 2023
Document Release Date: 
June 20, 2019
Sequence Number: 
Case Number: 
F-2017-00712
Publication Date: 
October 13, 2003
File: 
Body: 
Approved for Release: 2019/06/03 C06725094 SE ET//NOFORN Classified By: UNSPECIFIED Classification Reason: UNSPECIFIED Declassify On: X5 ISINE) SUBJ: SITUATION REPORT AS OF 1100 HOURS LOCAL TIME Identifiers: (b)(3) Dates: (b)(1) (b)(3) Coverage: CIA Country Code: BOL Region: AMERICAS, BOLIVIA Publisher: Agency Acronym: CIA Office Name: NCS (b)(3) Warnings:ISTINF-)... CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE (U) CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY (b)(1) (b)(3) (U) INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE REPORT CLASS S CR --NOFORN DIST: (b)(1) (U) REPORT CLASS S E CA E T--NOT RELEASABLE TO FORFIGN NATIONAI s (b)(3) ALL PORTIONS CARRY CLASSIFICATION AND CONTROLS OF OVERALL DOCUMENT. END OF MESSAGE =REF. (b)(1) (b)(3) (31/Nr) 1. AS OF 1100 HOURS LOCAL ON 13 OCTOBER 2003, THE GOVERNMENT OF BOLIVIA CONTINUES TO FACE VIOLENT OPPOSITION TO THE POTENTIAL SALE OF LIQUID NATURAL GAS, WHICH WOULD TRANSIT CHILE PRIOR TO ARRIVING IN NORTH AMERICAN MARKETS. THE BOLIVIAN WORKERS CENTRAL (COB), MOVEMENT TOWARDS SOCIALISM (MAS) AND OTHER OPPOSITION GROUPS, ALONG WITH THE ALTIPLANO CAMPESINO MOVEMENT LEAD BY FELIPE ((QUISPE)), ALIAS "EL MAILKU," HAVE LED VIOLENT DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT FOR ALMOST ONE WEEK. THE SE ET//NOFORN 1 Approved for Release: 2019/06/03 C06725094 Approved for Release: 2019/06/03 C06725094 SECRET//NOFORN (b)(1) GROUPS ARE ALSO CALLING FOR THE RESIGNATION 11)F BOLIVIAN PRESIDENT (b)(3) (SANCHEZ DE LOZADA)). (MEDIA REPORTS; (b)(1) (S//NF) 2. GOVERNMENT SECURITY FORCES CLASHED WITH OPPOSITION GROUF(b)(3)I 12 OCTOBER 2003, LEADING TO THE DEATHS OF UP TO 26 DEMONSTRATORS, AND APPROXIMATELY 50 WOUNDED. AS A RESULT OF THESE DEATHS, DURING THE MORNING OF 13 OCTOBER 2003, THE VICE PRESIDENT OF BOLIVIA, CARLOS ((MESA)) ANNOUNCED TO THE PRESS THAT HE NO LONGER SUPPORTS THE GOVERNMENT OF BOLIVIA, AND THAT HE WOULD STEP DOWN AS VICE PRESIDENT. MESA IS CALLING FOR AN EMERGENCY SESSION OF CONGRESS TO ACCEPT HIS RESIGNATION. GOVERNMENT COALITION MEMBER REVOLUTIONARY LEFTIST MOVEMENT (MIR) PARTY, LED BY FORMER PRESIDENT JAIME ((PAZ)) ZAMORA, ANNOUNCED ON 13 OCTOBER 2003 THAT IT WAS PULLING OUT OF THE COALITION. THE NEW REPUBLICAN FORCE (NFR) PARTY, LED BY MANFRED ((REYES)) VILLA ALSO ANNOUNCFD ON 13 OCTOBER 2003 THAT IT WOULD PULL OUT OF THE GOVERNMENT COALITION. COMMENT: IT IS UNCLEAR (b)(1) AT THIS POINT WHAT THESE RESIGNATIONS WILL MEAN FOR PRESIDENT SANCHEZ DE (b)(3) LOZADA). (MEDIA REPORTS). (S//NE) 3. BEGINNING ON 9 OCTOBER, GROUPS OPPOSED TO THE GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN THE CITY OF EL ALTO IN A "CIVIC STRIKE" CALLED TO PROTEST THE GOVERNMENT. EL ALTO IS CONTIGUOUS TO THE CAPITAL, LA PAZ, AND THE LA PAZ INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS LOCATED THERE. THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS CURRENTLY CLOSED TO COMMERCIAL FLIGHTS, AS CIVILIAN AVIATION COMPANY EMPLOYEES CANNOT REACH THE AIRPORT. THE DAILY AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGH(b)(1) FROM MIAMI HAS BEEN DIVERTED TO SANTA CRUZ, BOLIVIA. REPORTEDLY, THERE(b)(3) A NUMBER OF U.S. CITIZENS STRANDED AT THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THE ROADS FROM LA PAZ TO EL ALTO ARE ALSO BLOCKED BY DEMONSTRATORS. (b)(1) (b)(3) (SIINF) 4. AS OF 1100 ON 13 OCTOBER 2003 PROTESTORS ARE BLOCKADING DIFFERENT POINTS IN THE CITY OF LA PAZ, MAKING VEHICULAR TRANSPORT IN THE CITY DIFFICULT. SINCE 10 OCTOBER 2003, THERE HAS BEEN A SEVERE GASOLINE SHORTAGE IN THE CITY, WITH UP TO 4000 VEHICLES LINED UP AT 27 DIFFERENT GASOLINE STATIONS. SUPERMARKETS ARE RUNNING OUT OF FRESH PRODUCE AND PRICES ARE RISING. GASOLINE TANKER TRUCKS AND TRUCKS CARRYING PRODUCE HAVE BEEN BLOCKED FROM ENTERING LA PAZ DUE TO THE ROAD BLOCKADES MANNED BY PROTESTORS. ON 12 OCTOBER 2003 THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDED A MILITARY AND POLICE ESCORT TO ALLOW SEVERAL GASOLINE TANKER TRUCKS Tr) ENTER LA PAZ AND PROVIDE A LIMITED SUPPLY TO SOME GASOLINE STATIONS. OM )C TRANSPORTATION UNIONS DECLARED A STRIKE ON 13 OCTOBER 2003. (MEDIA (b)(3) REPORTS (S//NF) 5. (b (b SECRET//NOFORN 2 Approved for Release: 2019/06/03 C06725094 Approved for Release: 2019/06/03 C06725094 SECRET//NOFORN Collection: CC Creator: Agency Acronym: CIA Office Name. NCS (b)(3) Description: (U) NONE (b)(1) (b)(3) Language: en Precedence: 0 Source: Source Description: (S//NF) SEE BELOW. Source Context: (S//NF) See below. (b)(1) (b)(3) Subject: None SECRET//NOFORN 3 Approved for Release: 2019/06/03 C06725094