Sep 5, 2010
 
Civic Violence

Moving through the tear gas, attempting to take pictures of the radicals throwing Molotov bombs at the Police and the Prefects Office, I was suddenly attacked, knocked to the ground, and kicked and beaten until bloodied by an angry mob. Not having uttered a single word, I was probably attacked for attempting to document the situation, or for being of a lighter skin. Whatever the cause, apparently abstract concepts such as racism, intolerance, dictatorship of the masses, and violence as a political instrument have taken on a whole new meaning for me in the past few hours, moving out of the realm of symbols and semantics into the realm of physical reality.

Violencia contra Indigenas
La Paz, 28 Febrero, 2007: Choque Apaza fue agredido por una turba de partidarios del MAS. Estos adeptos de Evo Morales no podían concebir que un indio esté protestando contra su presidente y su gobierno, puesto que la propaganda gubernamental presenta a este gobierno como "Gobierno Indígena". Primero intentaron acallar la protesta de Mario Choque con insultos y amenazas. Al no logra su objetivo de silenciar a nuestro hermano, la turba lo agredió físicamente golpeándolo. Entre otros golpes recibió una patada en los testículos, ante la mirada impasible de los policías allí presentes.