Striking informal miners in Bolivia kidnapped and beat to death the country’s deputy Government Minister after he traveled to the area to mediate in the bitter conflict over mining laws, officials said late on Thursday.
Government Minister Carlos Romero called it a “cowardly and brutal killing’’ and asked that the miners turn over the body of deputy Minister Rodolfo Illanes.
Earlier, Romero said that Illanes had been kidnapped and possibly tortured, but local media reports that he had been killed by the miners had not been confirmed.
But late on Thursday Romero and Defense Minister Reymi said that the vice minister of government had been beaten to death by the
miners, who are demanding more rights, including the right to associate with private companies.