Érica Santana
Reporter - Agência Brasil

Brasília – Besides blocking the border, yesterday protesters took the Bolivian ministers of Planning, Carlos Villegas, Economic Development, Celinda Sosa, and Mining, Walter Villarroel, hostage in the city of Porto Suarez, located some 100 kilometers from the border with Brazil. Later reports are that the ministers were all rescued without anyone being injured.

The ministers were taken hostage by protesters who have been demonstarting in ten Bolivian minicipalities, demanding that the Bolivian government permit a Brazilian holding company, EBX, to build a steel mill in the Germán Busch of Santa Cruz province.

The official Bolivian position regarding the EBX endeavor was expressed by the vice minister of Government, Rafael Puente, who said: "The company is clearly illegal and they want to implant [a steel mill] in an area where such activity is expressly prohibited by the Constitution." The area, according to the minister, is a forest reserve and he went on to say that the government would not bow to pressure from the population of Porto Suarez as that "would mean a violation of the Constitution."

Translation: Allen Bennett