LIMA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Bolivian provinces of Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando, Tarija and Chuquisaca Tuesday staged a 24-hour strike, demanding the central government refund 270 million U.S. dollars' worth of oil taxes.
The protest, which included the stopping of activities, was summoned by the Democratic National Counsel (Conalde), opponents of Bolivian President Evo Morales.
Conalde is made up of the governors of those five provinces and the Civic Committees in opposition to Morales.
The strike started after the president refused to return the Direct Tax to the Hydrocarbons (IDH), which is used to pay Dignity Rent for people over 60 years old.
The strike was relatively calm, except for incidents between supporters and opponents of the strike in the jurisdiction of Plan Tres Mil, a poor district in the suburbs of Santa Cruz.
President of the Civic Committee from the province of Chuquisaca (south) Jhon Cava said the strike would be the only one organized by Conalde, because they do not want to sacrifice more people and the system.
Cava said that to continue their demands Conalde will use other measures.
