SITUATION REPORT AS OF 1100 HOURS LOCAL TIME

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA 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
• Case Number: F-2017-00712
• Publication Date: October 13, 2003

Approved for Release: 2019/06/03 C06725094
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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
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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
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Collection: CC
Creator:
Agency Acronym: CIA
Office Name. NCS
(b)(3)
Description: (U) NONE
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Language: en
Precedence: 0
Source:
Source Description: (S//NF) SEE BELOW.
Source Context: (S//NF) See below.
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Subject: None
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Approved for Release: 2019/06/03 C06725094