Bolivia: 62 Soldiers refuse to be part of oppression

This November in Bolivia, sixty-two soldiers performing their military service at the Military Police School Regiment N°1 Saavedra requested to be discharged, arguing that they didn't want to attack their parents and families protesting on the streets. Some of them stated that they were going to join the protests against the Jeanine Añez' self-proclaimed government. 

In several provinces in Bolivia, on November 8th, the police started acting against the central government. Within the next two weeks, the country got highly militarized with the violent intervention of the military to the ongoing protests. 

The reasons behind the polarisation and instability in Bolivia are complex. However, it's clear that the civilian population (most of them indigenous communities) have been the most affected by this instability and violence. The militarised discourse and violence are being undeniably justified by the religious discourse, and now defended and promoted by the new (self-proclaimed) government, deepening racism in the country. 

Sources:

El Extremo Sur de la Patagonia, Bolivia: 62 soldiers requested to be discharged because "they do not want to repress their parents", 20 November, 2019; El Salto, Chronicles from La Paz: what has happened in Bolivia since October 20?, 20 November, 2019