Bolivia minister killed by protesting miners

Bolivian deputy interior minister Rodolfo Illanes and his bodyguard were seized earlier on Thursday at a roadblock in Panduro, south of La Paz, officials said.

Interior Minister Carlos Romero reportedly said "all indications" were that Illanes had been murdered in a "cowardly and brutal" attack.

The BBC reports that two miners also died from gunshot wounds during clashes with police.

Bolivian defence minister Reymi Ferreira was quoted by local media saying that Illanes had been beaten to death at about 18:00 local time (01:00 CET).

The minister reportedly added that the authorities could not retrieve his body, for the moment, but more than 100 arrests had been made.

According to reports, Illanes was kidnapped on Thursday when he went to talk to protesting miners in Panduro, around 160km from capital La Paz.

While he was being held, Illanes told Bolivian radio that a condition for his release was that the government negotiate with miners over new legislation.

The miners have been blocking a highway in Panduro since Tuesday.

The National Federation of Mining Co-operatives of Bolivia, once strong allies of Bolivian President Evo Morales, began what they said would be an indefinite protest after negotiations failed.

The workers are reportedly demanding better pay and greater union representation. According to a Reuters report, the protesters are asking for more mining concessions with less stringent environmental rules and the right to work for private companies. They are also against the policies what they refer to as Morales' "neoliberal" agenda.