Bolivia: inmates at prison stage uprising over lack of medical services amid suspected coronavirus deaths

Inmates at a prison in central Bolivia staged a rooftop protest Monday, demanding medical services after the deaths of three inmates, including one suspected of having the novel coronavirus.

Inmates held up banners calling attention to their plight, including one banner that read, “We want COVID-19 tests.”

A relative of one of the inmates complained that there are no doctors and no medicine. She said the inmates are dying inside the facility. She implored that authorities cannot let them die, that we are all human beings and we cannot allow the authorities to do this.

One inmate said authorities are aware of the deaths of inmates and police. But until today they have not received information about the deaths of other inmates.

The demonstrators heightened concerns over their health follows the suspected coronavirus deaths of 23 people in the San Pedro jail in the capital, La Paz. Officials are reportedly awaiting tests to see if those who died in the La Paz jail were infected with COVID-19.

So far, Bolivia has confirmed more than 71,000 coronavirus cases and more than 2,600 deaths.