La Paz, November 16 (RHC)-- Over the past 24 hours, at least nine Bolivians have died as a result of repressive actions carried out by the security forces that support the coup-based government headed by Senator Jeanine Añez.
The Ombudsman's office in La Paz told reporters late Friday night that "23 people have died since the coup. The most recent victims are four people shot dead in La Paz and five in Sacaba."
A human rights delegate in the Bolivian capital, Teresa Zubieta, said: "They have killed our brothers as if they were animals." She explained that Añez's regime is generating "a setback of more than 30 years with respect to the protection of people."
Judging by the complaints filed before the Ombudsman's office, far-right paramilitary groups have been activated to "repress and intimidate people even when they are simply walking home from work."
There are conflicting reports on the number of victim's of Bolivia's coup. Up until Thursday, the Ombudsman's Office maintained that 536 people had been injured and 12 people killed during the intense repression against those who are resisting in the streets. On the other hand, according to the international news agency EFE, the conflict in Bolivia has left at least 18 dead and more than 500 injured since the presidential elections held on October 20th.
Despite the evidence on violence against Bolivians, the governments of the United States, the UK and Colombia recognized the Bolivian regime, while Uruguay, China and Russia have joined the voices that forcefully reject the coup in Bolivia.
