Coronavirus in Bolivia is out of control, thanks to the incompetence and cruelty of a neoliberal government for which protection of human life is not a priority. Several Ibero-American dailies this week reported that between July 15 and 20—not even a week—Bolivia’s special “anti-crime” unit of the police, picked up 420 cadavers around the country, 85% of whom were presumed to have been infected with COVID-19. Between April and July, a total of 3,500 cadavers have been picked up—from streets, automobiles and homes, the daily Infobae reported. A photo that went viral on the internet was that of a hearse carrying a sign saying that the body of the person inside had been in a private home for several days and was therefore decomposing, Página 12 reported July 22.
The bodies were retrieved in five different departments (provinces), the largest number in Cochabamba, followed by La Paz. Officially, the country has recorded 64,135 cases, and 2,324 deaths. Virgilio Prieto, National Epidemiology director, told Infobae that cases are doubling every week, especially in La Paz and Cochabamba. In western Bolivia, “the situation is going to get much worse because we’re seeing a very rapid escalation,” he reported. He complained that many people are ignoring requirements for social distancing, wearing masks, etc.
