A clash between Bolivian security forces and campesinos in the community of Warisata in the Altiplano region of La Paz department left at least five people dead on September 20. One of those killed was a soldier; the rest were campesinos. Another 12 campesinos and eight soldiers or police agents were reportedly wounded.

According to the government's version of events, the confrontation followed the "rescue" of some 800 Bolivian travelers and 40 foreign tourists by Bolivian police and army forces in the town of Sorata, where a roadblock by campesino protesters had trapped them for five days. As the 60-vehicle caravan entered Warisata, police and army troops accompanying it were allegedly ambushed by campesinos and students from the Warisata rural high school, shooting from the surrounding mountains. The troops returned fire and the conflict continued for several hours, according to the government's version of events. The campesinos say the troops attacked them.

On September 21, Minister of Government Yerko Kukoc confirmed that one soldier and three campesinos had died in the confrontation; Sacha Llorenti, vice president of the Permanent Assembly for Human Rights of Bolivia (APDHB), said four civilians and a soldier were killed, while campesino leader and legislative deputy Felipe Quispe Huanca said at least five campesinos were killed. The "rescued" travelers arrived in La Paz early on September 21; none were injured. Presidential spokesperson Mauricio Antezana said President Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada ordered the "rescue" for "human, moral and legal" reasons.

In Sorata, the campesinos reportedly burned down a hotel, a police station, a court building and other properties as road blockades continued throughout the Altiplano region. The campesinos are demanding that the government fulfill a series of 72 commitments agreed to by the previous administration. They are also demanding that Bolivia not export its natural gas-much less through a port in Chile, which took away Bolivia's sea access in an 1879 war-and that it not join the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). (Associated Press 9/21/03; Econoticias Bolivia 9/21/03 via Colombia Indymedia)

In addition, nearly 2,000 campesinos began a hunger strike on September 12 at the San Gabriel Catholic radio station in El Alto to demand the release of campesino leader Edwin Huampo, who was arrested recently on murder charges. By September 19, the hunger strikers at the station were said to number more than 3,000. (La Razón (La Paz) 9/18/03, 9/19/03)

Followers of campesino coca grower (cocalero) leader and legislative deputy Evo Morales Ayma are supporting the protests; Morales called a cocalero assembly for September 21 to decide what actions to take. Morales blamed the violence on the government and especially on Defense Minister Carlos Sánchez Berzaín, who returned to the cabinet in August. Sánchez Berzaín had been ousted from his previous post as presidency minister in February, after being blamed for a crackdown on protesters which left 33 people dead and hundreds wounded on February 12-14. He was also associated with violent repression of protesters when he served as governance minister (1995-1997) under Sánchez de Lozada's previous presidency. "Sánchez Berzaín returns to the cabinet and the deaths are back," said Morales. (AP 9/21/03; Econoticias Bolivia 9/21/03) Morales insists that Sánchez Berzaín was brought back into the cabinet under pressure from the U.S. government, which likes his heavy-handed tactics. (El Diario (La Paz) 8/13/03)

President Sánchez de Lozada convened his cabinet late on September 20, and in the early hours of September 21, decided to invite the campesinos to dialogue. (AP 9/21/03).