Bolivian workers seize tinmines

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32430, 17 October 1970, Page 17

Bolivian workers seize tinmines

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

LA PAZ (Bolivia), October 16.

After only one week in power the nationalist Bolivian President, General Juan Jose Torrez, has run into a confrontation with his Left-wing worker allies, who occupied tin mining headquarters near La Paz.

Militant workers in Oruro, the centre of Bolivia’s staple tin mining industry located 150 miles from La Paz on Wednesday night, took over the buildings of the State mining corporation, Comibol, and announced plans for its “total reorganisation,” The miners, members of the 40,000-member Left-wing Bolivian Workers’ Confederation led by a veteran Socialist, Mr Juan Lechin, disbanded the special mines pol a and charged Comibol administrators were “privileged bureaucrats causing a mas-

sive drainage of resources necessary for production.” General Torrez, who seized power with workers’ help by defeating a Right-wing Army revolt on October 7, has sent a commission of top Government officials to calm the miners, who have not returned to work since the Right-wing mutiny. Mr Lechin, a former VicePresident, and student leaders last week presented a long list of demands to the new Government which included worker participation in management, big wage rises for workers and the nationalisation of foreign-owned companies.

The bloodless Oruro occupations occurred as General Torrez met labour, student and political leaders in La Paz to present a nationalists’ programme to free the country from “foreign dependence” and to institute “total popular participation” in Government. But the President, who earlier stated economic stability was one of his main aims, remained non-commit-tal about workers’ specific demands for wage rises which, according to officials, might plunge the mining corporation into a severe financial crisis. Bolivia, after Malaya, is the world’s biggest producer lof tin but geological and transport factors make it

about twice as expensive as Malayan and hence less profitable.

Observers believe that the President’s reluctance so far to agree to quick wage rises will cause increasing restlessness among the militant miners.

General Torrez has already promised to take over foreign companies, while still trying to encourage investment from abroad, but there are few foreign companies in Bolivia which have not already been nationalised by previous governments. General Torrez, a former army commander-in-chief, said in his programme that social misery was a direct result of imperialist domination and pledged his Government would grant equality of opportunity to all.