MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) – Bolivia’s Deputy Interior Minister Rodolfo Illanes was kidnapped and killed by striking miners, director of the Fedecomin radio Moses Flores said.
"We went to the place where deputy minister Illanes was and found him lifeless. We are very scared," Flores told Radio Erbol by telephone from Panduro, where the tragedy took place, as quoted by El Nuevo Herald on Thursday.
Flores stressed that the miners are "furious" and it is a high-risk situation. Erbol said citing preliminary reports that the miners also burnt the vehicle of the deputy interior minister.
The information has not been officially confirmed. Authorities have only announced that Illanes had been kidnapped. According to Erbol, the deputy interior minister has been held by miners since Thursday morning.
Bolivian Interior Minister Carlos Romero said at a press conference at noon on Thursday that Illanes had not been mistreated by miners.
Bolivian miners have been protesting and blocking roads for two weeks as a new reform is being prepared that would regulate the creation of unions.
