SITUATION REPORT AS OF 1200 HOURS LOCAL TIME

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06725097
• 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 15, 2003

Approved for Release: 2019/06/03 C06725097
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Classified By: UNSPECIFIED
Classification Reason: UNSPECIFIED
Declassify On: X5
SUBJ: SITUATION REPORT AS OF 1200 HOURS LOCAL
TIME
Identifiers:
Dates:
Coverage:
CIA Country Code: BOL
Region: AMERICAS, BOLIVIA
Publisher:
Agency Acronym: CIA
Office Name: NCS
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Warnings: TS77t4F3-. CENTRAL
INTELLIGENCE AGENCY INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED
INTELLIGENCE
(U) CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
(U) INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE REPORT CLASS S
ECRET �NOFORN 01ST: 15 OCTOBER 2003
(U) REPORT CLASS S E O4 E T--NOT RELEASABLE TO FOREIGN NATIONALS-
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PORTIONS CARRY CLASSIFICATION AND CONTROLS OF OVERALL DOCUMENT. END OF (b)(3)
MESSAGESE6RE1,_
-"(Sithfi--)-1. AS OF 1200 HOURS ON 15 OCTOBER 2003, THE SITUATION IN LA PAZ AND EL
ALTO, BOLIVIA REMAINED SOMEWHAT CALM, WITH SPORADIC ROAD BLOCKS AROUND
THE CITY OF LA PAZ. THE ROAD TO THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PAZ CONTINUED TO
BE BLOCKADED BY DEMONSTRATORS IN THEIR INDEFINITE STRIKE AGAINST THE
GOVERNMENT. GASOLINE WAS IN SHORT SUPPLY IN LA PAZ WITH ONLY A FEW
STATIONS SELLING LIMITED AMOUNTS OF GASOLINE TO CUSTOMERS. MOST
SUPERMARKETS AND OTHER BUSINESSES REMAINED CLOSED IN LA PAZ AND EL ALTO.
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(S//NF) 7. BY DAY, THE MAIN ROAD FROM LA PAZ TO THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN EL
ALTO HAS BEEN IMPASSABLE. PROTESTORS HAVE REINFORCED THEIR BLOCKADES
WITH TORN-DOWN STREET LAMPS, ROCKS AND EVEN A LARGE RAILROAD CONEX CAR.
TO IMPEDE SMALLER VEHICULAR TRAFFIC WHICH HAD BEEN ABLE TO NAVIGATE THE
LARGER OBSTACLES, PROTESTORS HAVE STRUNG WIRE ACROSS THE ROAD TO
KNOCK RIDERS OFF THEIR MOTORCYCLES AND BICYCLES. IN SOME AREAS, THE WIF(b)(1)
IS STRUNG ALONG THE ROAD TO TANGLE THE WHEELS OF VEHICLES. PROT (b)(3)
H PLACED IMPROVISED SPIKES IN THE ROAD TO DESTROY TIRES.
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(S//NF) 8. THE ONLY PEOPLE ABLE TO ENTER AND EXIT EL ALTO HAVE BEEN PEASANT
WORKERS OR PEOPLE KNOWN TO AREA RESIDENTS TRAVELLING ON FOOT.
STRANGERS ATTEMPTING TO GO TO THIS AREA OF LA PAZ ARE WARNED TO MAKE THE
JOURNEY ONLY AT NIGHT, AS PROTESTORS HAVE BEGUN TO CAMP ALONG MAIN PAT(b)(1)
AND PELT ANY CAUCASIAN (OR NON-INDIAN) LOOKING CITIZENS WITH ROCKS. THE (b)(3)
ATTACKS ARE RANDOM AND ARE EITHER ATTEMPTS TO EXTORT MONEY OR ATTEMPTS
TO IDENTIFY UNDERCOVER POLICE OFFICIALS. COMMENT: THOSE THAT TRAVEL
TO EL ALTO BY FOOT MUST USE SIDE STREETS AND PATHS ALONG THE MOUNTAIN
WHICH ARE QUESTIONABLE BY DAY AND RISKY AT NIGHT. AREA RESIDENTS HAVE (b)(1)
TAKEN TO USING THESE PATHS AND SIDE STREETS TO AVOID BEING ACCOSTED BY (b)(3)
ANGRY OR DRUNK PROTESTORS. PEDESTRIAN TRAVEL TO EL ALTO TAKES
APPROXIMATELY THREE HOURS AND A ROUND TRIP TAKES BETWEEN 4-6 HOURS.
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(S//NF) 9. TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF SANCHEZ DE LOZADA HAS ("3)
THE BACKING OF BOLIVIANS IN MOST OTHER AREAS OF THE COUNTRY, OFFICIALS OF
THE MINISTRY OF POPULAR PARTICIPATION (SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT) HAVE BEEN
TASKED WITH CALLING GOVERNORS AND MAYORS TO ASK THEM TO SEND WRITTEN
DECLARATIONS OF THEIR SUPPORT AND THEIR CONSTITUENTS' SUPPORT FOR TO LA
PAZ. AT THE SAME TIME, VICE-PRESIDENT CARLOS ((MESA)), IS BEING OSTRACIZED BY
MANY IN THE GOVERNMENT FOR INITIALLY ABANDONING THE ADMINISTRATION
EARLIER THIS WEEK.
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Collection: CC
Creator:
Agency Acronym: CIA
Office Name: NCS
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Description: (U) NONE
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Language: en
Precedence: 0
Source:
Source Description: (S//NF) SEE BELOW
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Source Context: (S//NF) See below.
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Subject: None
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