8 dead in Bolivia protests as UN warns crisis 'out of control'

LA PAZ, Bolivia - At least eight people died after the police and military forces clashed with protestors on Friday in the central Bolivian city of Sacaba, local authorities reported on Saturday, as the United Nations expressed concern the situation could "spin out of control" amid a rising death toll.

"We have eight confirmed dead. We're highly concerned by the number of dead," said Nelson Cox, ombudsman of Cochabamba Department, about 480 kilometers southeast of La Paz. "Additionally, 132 people were injured, according to the investigation. They had mostly been shot," he told Xinhua News Agency by phone.

Coca leaf farmers in the area and supporters of former president Evo Morales clashed with authorities who used force to quell the protests.

Earlier on Saturday, United Nations human rights chief Michelle Bachelet issued a statement calling the deaths "an extremely dangerous development".

"I am really concerned that the situation in Bolivia could spin out of control if the authorities do not handle it sensitively and in accordance with international norms," she said.

Bolivia has been plagued by anti-government protests since Morales won a fourth presidential term in the Oct 20 elections. The opposition refused to recognize his victory after an audit by the Organization of American States found electoral fraud.

Morales announced his resignation on Nov 10 after urging by the military. He arrived later in Mexico, which offered him the political asylum.

Supporters of Morales have mobilized across various regions of Bolivia since Tuesday to demand the resignation of Senator Jeanine Anez, leader of the interim government supported by the opposition, as well as the return of Morales, and respect for "the Wiphala," a tricolor square emblem and the symbol of the Andean indigenous community which also acts as the dual flag of Bolivia.

Xinhua - AP