Bolivian miners clashed with police during a march on Thursday demanding the resignation of President Rodrigo Paz, with some even detonating dynamite.
Setting off small dynamite charges has become common in the second week of nationwide unrest.
Thousands of Bolivian miners marched through the city of La Paz demanding, among other things, labor reforms and greater access to fuel and explosives.
But as hours passed, they started raising slogans demanding the resignation of the President. Police responded by firing tear gas at violent protesters.
Blockades and marches have disrupted much of Bolivia’s capital over the past few days as various groups, including school teachers, demand higher wages amid the country’s economic crisis.
Bolivia’s economic recession has worsened of late due to a shortage of US dollars and a decline in energy production.
The latest wave of protests was triggered by farmers demanding the repeal of the law allowing land mortgage.
Although Paz signed a decree repealing the law on Wednesday, protests have continued to spread.
President Paz, sworn into office just six months ago, won election on a promise to lead the Andean nation out of its worst economic crisis in a generation.
Miners meet with President Paz
Before clashes broke out between protesters and police on Thursday, a delegation of about 20 miners entered the presidential palace for a meeting with the president, Reuters reported, citing a source.
Separately, Bolivia’s president called several ministers for emergency talks on the miners’ demands.
Bolivia’s Economy Minister José Gabriel Espinoza said as he entered the palace that the government was “ready to negotiate”.
Meanwhile, officials said that, as of Tuesday, there were reports of 67 blockades on the country’s highways, which were blocked by large trucks several days earlier. This has led to shortage of food, goods and medicines in hospitals.
Edited by: Dmytro Lyubenko