Two journalists were assaulted during protests involving followers of former president Evo Morales and current president Luis Arce on Tuesday, September 17. The protests escalated into clashes in the community of Vila Vila. A reporter from Cadena A in Oruro was brutally beaten, while another from SEO TV was forced to cut his live broadcast, effectively being censored.
In response, Bolivia’s National Association of Journalists (ANPB) and the La Paz Association of Journalists (APLP) issued a joint statement demanding respect and protection of the freedoms of expression, press, and information.
The Oruro Press Workers’ Union described in a statement how journalist Irene Torrez from Cadena A was attacked. "She was brutally assaulted with sticks, kicked, and shoved while carrying out her duty to cover the protests," the union reported.
