Labor Union Chiefs Held as Bolivia Declares Siege

The government of President Victor Paz Estenssoro declared a state of siege today and made countrywide arrests of labor leaders to crush a planned miners’ march on the capital.

The march was begun to protest the government’s plan to close tin mines, fire thousands of workers and reorganize the industry.

Police also seized airports, arrested a columnist with an opposition newspaper and placed strict limits on public gatherings.

The state of emergency occurred while 160 U.S. soldiers are in the South American country participating in narcotics raids with Bolivian soldiers. The U.S. soldiers arrived July 14.

Radio reports said about 50 people had been arrested throughout Bolivia, including leaders of the powerful Bolivian Workers Central labor coalition and members of the Communist Party.

Airports Seized

Jet fighters swooped over the capital of La Paz for an hour beginning at 7 a.m., and police seized the nation’s airports after airline employees said they would strike.

Last Friday, tin miners began what they called a 125-mile “march for life” because of a government plan to close half the nation’s mines, fire 10,000 workers and reorganize the industry because of falling tin prices on international markets.

Radio reports said army troops stopped the march 50 miles south of the capital.

A government decree said the emergency was imposed to crush a “state of subversion” in the nation caused by striking workers intent on carrying out “a violent plan of insurrection.”

Journalists Arrested

Family members said police arrested Gonzalo Quiroga, a columnist for the opposition newspaper Hoy, and Andres Soliz, the correspondent for Agence France Press and the head of a group vehemently opposed to the presence of U.S. soldiers in Bolivia.

The government prohibited assemblies and marches and banned the carrying of weapons. The decree also banned groups of more than two people on city streets between midnight and 6 a.m.

Eleven months ago, Paz Estenssoro declared a 90-day state of siege and sent about 300 labor leaders into temporary exile in two jungle towns in northern Bolivia.