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The political crisis that resulted in the ouster of Bolivias Evo Morales has reopened old fault lines in the country. FRANCE 24 reports from a middle class district of La Paz, where residents live in fear of a violent backlash by supporters of the deposed president.
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On the night of November 10, Franco Albarracin's family home in the affluent neighbourhood of Achumani was attacked by an angry mob of several hundred. The family escaped by scaling the walls, just moments before their home was looted and burned.
Albarracins father is a rector at a public university, whose students had demanded the resignation of Evo Morales following last months disputed election.
“I think the aim of the attack was to intimidate people, and it worked,” he told FRANCE 24.
When Evo Morales was forced out by the military, his furious supporters marched out of their working-class neighbourhoods, calling for his reinstatement. Meanwhile, residents in the more affluent south of La Paz have been preparing to defend themselves, starting night patrols and even arming themselves with rocks.
“We set up an alert system, it's like a panic button that can be triggered by any neighbour from their phone if they spot anything unusual,” said Juan Carlos Vacaflor, a resident of Achumani.
The crisis has reopened deep divides in Bolivian society, pitting the mainly indigenous and rural working clRead More – Source
