Cochabamba Social Unrest of 2007 - Resignation Demanded, Violence Escalates

Resignation Demanded, Violence Escalates

On January 11, 2007 in an unsuccessful attempt to "force Reyes out of office and instill a 'revolutionary committee' headed by an ex-guerrilla leader once known as Comandante Loro -- Commander Parrot", demonstrators opposed to Reyes Villa "Wielding guns, sticks and machetes" fought with the prefect's supporters (who were "largely middle-class, mixed-race residents fed up with what many view as the president's snubbing of their needs as he exalts Bolivia's long-ignored indigenous masses"). Morales sent in police and soldiers to end the violence.

Over 450 people were wounded and two were slain in the violence, while a third was mortally wounded and died in February. According to the Cochabamba Human Rights Commission (Spanish: Comisión de Derechos Humanos de Cochabamba): at least 400 suffered blows from sticks, stones, fists, or other objects; 36 more suffered severe wounds from such blows; and 11 were wounded by gunshots.

Juan Ticacolque Machaca (On January 11, he was widely misidentified as Nicómedes Gutiérrez), a 34-year-old banana farmer, was fatally shot in the Plaza de las Banderas and carried to the central September 14 Plaza, where his body was exhibited. Alex Rosales, who was carrying two guns, was arrested on January 11 and later charged with his murder, for which he was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

Christian Urresti Ferrel, a 17-year old civic protester, was beaten to death at the intersection of Mexico and Baptista streets. Witnesses testified that he had assisted someone wounded by campesino protesters before being attacked himself. There has been speculation that Ticacolque's dying or dead body, which was carried through the same intersection, may have helped to incite the violence against Urresti.

Luciano Colque, a 45-year-old coca farmer who joined the protests on January 10, was beaten severely by civic protesters on January 11, and received care at Hospital Viedma. He died of cranial trauma early in the morning of February 27. Colque was the father of seven children and lived in the Chapare.

Prosecutors investigated 12 instances of violence from January 11, including the deaths of Ticacolque and Urresti. Only one resulted in a conviction, that of Alex Rosales.