VZCZCXYZ0021
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLP #0084/01 0112149
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 112149Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY LA PAZ
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2070
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 6451
RUEHBO/AMEMBASSY BOGOTA 3772
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 7646
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 4898
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 2144
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 2225
RUEHMN/AMEMBASSY MONTEVIDEO 4339
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 4781
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 9371
RUMIAAA/USCINCSO MIAMI FL
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0081
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC
RHMFIUU/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL

UNCLAS LA PAZ 000084 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL ECON PHUM BL
SUBJECT: COCHABAMBA: FIGHTING ERUPTS, TURNS DEADLY 
 
REF: A. LA PAZ 83 
     ¶B. LA PAZ 75 
     ¶C. LA PAZ 54 
 
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Summary 
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¶1. (U)  On January 11 at 4:15 local time, violent 
confrontations between pro-GOB (mostly cocaleros) and 
anti-GOB forces in Cochabamba, Bolivia's third largest 
city, resulted in at least one death and over one 
hundred injured. This followed earlier skirmishes. 
The city had been paralyzed all day by a general 
strike; all public and private services were closed, 
and the city remained cut-off by road blockades 
erected by MAS militants on January 8.  Negotiations 
between the GOB and Prefect Reyes broke down on 
January 10, the GOB explained that a solution 
to the conflict was close, while Reyes maintained a 
hard line.  Reyes claimed that Minister of Government 
Quintana did not offer any solution (reftel A).  On 
the same day, pro-GOB militants (mostly cocaleros) 
verbally and physically assaulted a group of 
journalists who were marching in support of freedom 
of expression.  On January 11, Santa Cruz Prefect 
Ruben Costas and his counterparts from La Paz, Tarija, 
Beni and Pando met with Prefect Reyes in La Paz in 
a show of solidarity.  End Summary 
 
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A City Under Siege 
------------------ 
 
¶2. (U) A general strike paralyzed Cochabamba all day 
January 11; all public and private services were closed 
and the city remained cut-off by road blockades erected 
by MAS militants on January 8. Air transport was the only 
reliable way in and out of Cochabamba. 
 
--------------------------------- 
Skirmishes lead to Confrontation 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U)  Police forces prevented large-scale conflicts 
on January 10, but there were still several politically 
motivated assaults.  Responding to pro-GOB militants' 
attacks who thwarted their planned January 10 peace 
rally (reftel B), civic committee supporters and members 
of the Youth Union for Democracy took up baseball bats, 
sticks, golf clubs and homemade shields and began marching 
to "take back the city" from the Masistas.  The two groups 
were within one hundred yards of each other near the 
Cochabamba soccer stadium, but police managed to keep 
them apart.  In the early evening, pro-GOB supporters beat 
up an individual by the name of Luis Fernandez Sanchez. 
His attackers claimed that he was carrying a knife and 
chain.  Fernandez argued he was beaten because of his 
"camba" (eastern) accent.  Also on January 10, Youth Union 
for Democracy members assaulted a taxi driver who yelled 
at them for blocking traffic. 
 
¶4. (SBU)  On January 11 at 4:15 PM local time, violent 
confrontations between pro-GOB (mostly cocaleros) and 
anti-GOB forces broke out in Cochabamba. As of midday 
January 11, police sources had told Emboffs that 
approximately 6,500 pro-GOB supporters and 1,500 anti-GOB 
activists (Cochabamba civic committee supporters and a 
members of the Youth Union for Democracy) were 
preparing to confront each other.  The police estimated 
there were 300 people from Santa Cruz among the anti-GOB 
forces.  Despite Prefect Reyes' calls to his supporters 
to act peacefully, sources tell Emboffs that some of his 
supporters assaulted two or three pro-GOB "campesinos" 
the morning of January 11 in the Plaza Cala Cala. 
By 4:00 PM January 11, sources were telling Emboffs 
that the number of anti-MAS forces had swelled to 
several thousand, and many were agitating to instigate a 
confrontation and take back the main square, which the MAS 
activists had taken January 8.  At 4:15 PM confrontations 
between the pro- and anti-GOB groups erupted.  Although 
preliminary reports are unclear how the confrontations 
started, most are stating that anti-GOB forces pushed 
through the pro-GOB (campesino and cocalero) lines. 
At 5:00 PM state-TV station ATB reported Nicomedes 
Gutierez, a forty -year old cocalero, had died from a 
bullet wound.  No information was immediately available 
regarding who shot Mr. Gutierez.  At 5:30 PM, news outlets 
reported that the injured numbered more than one-hundred 
from both sides.  There were also reports of four other 
deaths. As of 6:00 PM, the media that the Army's seventh 
division, based in Cochabamba, had been called in to 
restore order.  The situation seems to be quieting down. 
 
----------------------- 
Negotiations Break Down 
----------------------- 
 
¶5. (U)  On January 10, negotiations between the GOB and 
Prefect Reyes broke down; the GOB explained that a solution 
to the conflict was close, while Reyes maintained a hard 
line.  Minister of Government Juan Ramon Quintana met with 
pro-GOB protesters in the morning and with Manfred Reyes 
later in the day. Reyes was forced to leave his meeting 
with Minister Quintana because a group of cocaleros marched 
on their location.  Quintana announced after the 
dissolution of his meeting with Reyes that a solution might 
be near.  Quintana stated, "We have listened to the sides, 
their petitions, and their suggestions.  We now ... have a 
map from which we can navigate the task of negotiating." 
Later Reyes contradicted Quintana,s more upbeat 
assessment by stating that he would not resign his 
position or become "a traitor to Cochabambinos." Reyes 
claimed that Quintana did not offer any solution (reftel A). 
 
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Journalists Attacked Again 
-------------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Pro-GOB militants (mostly cocaleros) verbally and 
physically assaulted a group of journalists who were 
marching in support of freedom of expression on January 10. 
The journalists were also requesting that the GOB respect 
their right to work and protect them from aggression. 
The cocaleros shouted invectives, calling the journalists 
liars, sell-outs and conspirators.  In response, Carlos 
Arevalo, the leader of the Cochabamba press federation, 
announced that members would begin a hunger strike in 
support of democracy and freedom of expression. 
 
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Solidarity for Cochabamba 
------------------------- 
 
¶7. (U)  Santa Cruz Prefect Ruben Costas and his 
counterparts from La Paz, Tarija, Beni and Pando met with 
Prefect Reyes in La Paz on January 11 in a show of 
solidarity.  Civic committees from the five departments 
also discussed a meeting on January 11 to demonstrate 
their support for Cochabamba prefect and civic committee. 
The Santa Cruz civic committee has called for a general 
strike on January 16 to show their support for Cochabamba. 
 
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Comment 
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¶8. (U)  Embassy La Paz is monitoring this rapidly evolving 
situation closely.  End Comment. 
GOLDBERG