El Alto is in the news after a Bolivian military plane crashed near La Paz, killing and injuring people; it’s a fast-growing city just above La Paz.
A Bolivian Air Force Hercules aircraft crashed in El Alto while transporting newly printed banknotes, killing at least 15 people. The plane skidded off the runway, struck vehicles, and scattered currency, prompting flight suspensions and chaos at the crash site. The cause is under investigation.
A Bolivian Air Force Hercules plane crashed in El Alto while transporting newly printed banknotes, killing 22 and injuring 30. Crowds gathered to collect the scattered money, prompting police to burn the bills, which had no legal tender status. The crash is under investigation.
Mass protests by miners, farmers, teachers and unions have paralysed La Paz and El Alto, blocking roads and causing shortages of fuel, food and medicine. Clashes with police have involved tear gas, dynamite blasts and arrests. President Rodrigo Paz has reshuffled his cabinet and deployed security forces while international aid and diplomatic tensions are rising.
Protests across Bolivia have intensified over the government's handling of an economic crisis. Demonstrations in La Paz and El Alto have disrupted transport and fuel supplies as unions call for wage increases, fuel subsidies and policy reforms. President Paz has responded with cabinet reshuffles and wage-cut pledges to regain control.