Bolivian Protests Growing Over Morales Election

Police guards outside the presidential palace in Bolivia left their posts today, allowing anti-government protesters to walk up to the doors of the building.

President Evo Morales was not in the building when police retreated on Saturday, with some of them standing on the roof of a near by police station in a sign of growing discontent among security forces after a disputed election.

Officials in the palace in La Paz were evacuated, leaving only a military presidential guard. Protesters later left the area.

Some police in Bolivia became openly defiant toward the government on Friday, and their protests appeared to be spreading.

Their demands include better working conditions and the resignation of their commander.

Morales claimed he was re-elected in the October 20 vote, but the opposition alleged fraud.

The dispute triggered nationwide protests, resulting in three deaths and more than 300 injuries.

Defense Minister Javier Zabaleta has downplayed the police protests, saying a 'police mutiny occurred in a few regions.'

The political opposition says there was fraud in the election, an allegation that Morales says amounts to an attempt to overthrow Bolivia's rightful government.

On Thursday a Bolivian mayor was doused in red paint and had her hair hacked off by protesters who blamed her for the deaths of two opposition protesters.

Patricia Arce, of the governing Mas party, was dragged out of Vinto town hall on Wednesday and subjected to four hours of degradation in which she was made to kneel and sign her resignation.

Young men carrying batons and wearing masks chanted, 'Murderess, murderess,' as they marched Arce to a platform where they cut her hair before the baying mob.

Bolivia has been gripped by deadly protests following President Evo Morales' election victory over claims it was rigged.

Morales, first elected president in 2006, is seeking to remain in power until 2025 after he took legal action to get around constitutional term limits.

In 2016, a majority of the country voted against constitutional changes that would have allowed Morales to run for a third term.  Despite the vote, Morales supports applied to the Bolivian Supreme Court to abolish term limits.  The Court-- which was packed with Morales loyalists-- struck down term limits which allowed Morales to run for this term earlier this year.