Bolivian police deal brokered
June 28, 2012
The accord raises the minimum wage for the country's 32,000 strong police force to $300 (240 euros), and foregoes plans to include tougher rules regarding police discipline, pleasing junior officers who had rejected previous deals.
"With this, the mutiny is over. The final accord, which was reviewed with all our members, is signed. ... Police services will return to normal," Esther Corzon, one of the officers who signed the deal said.
The revolt started late last week when striking police officials, dressed in civilian clothes and concealing their faces, stormed the offices of the country's riot police and eight other police stations.
Protestors smashed windows, destroyed furniture and set flags alight, with on-duty police offering no resistance.
Over five days, protestors destroyed more than 25 police stations and command centers across the country.
The demonstrators had been asking for the minimum wage for junior police officers to be raised to 2,000 bolivianos (287 euros, $360) from the current average of 195 euros per month.
During the protests, Bolivia's private banking association opted to close all banks across the country because they lacked police or military protection.
jlw/av (Reuters, AP, AFP)