Bolivia protesters cut off mayor’s hair, cover her in red paint, drag her

La Paz: The Mayor of a small town in Bolivia was attacked by opposition protesters who dragged her through the streets barefoot, covered her in red paint and forcibly cut her hair. Patricia Arce of the governing Mas party was handed over to police in Vinto after several hours, the BBC reported.

Amid shouts of "murderess, murderess" masked men dragged her through the streets barefoot to the bridge. There, they made her kneel down, cut her hair and doused her in red paint. They also forced her to sign a resignation letter. Her office was set alight and the windows of the town hall were smashed.

It is the latest in a series of violent clashes between government supporters and opponents in the wake of controversial presidential elections.

According to IANS report, a group of anti-government protesters were blocking a bridge in Vinto, a small town in Cochabamba province in central Bolivia, as part of their ongoing demonstrations following the presidential election on October 20.

Rumours spread that two opposition protesters had been killed nearby in clashes with supporters of incumbent President, Evo Morales, prompting an angry group to march to the town hall. The protesters blamed her for the reported deaths, one of which was later confirmed.

The person killed in clashes between supporters and opponents of President Morales was identified as 20-year-old student Limbert Guzmán Vasquez. Doctors said Guzmán Vasquez had a fractured skull which may have been caused by an explosive device. He is the third person to be killed since the clashes between the two sides erupted on October 20.

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