Four more deaths in Bolivia protests; UN warns as death toll mounts

Four more people have died in protests in Bolivia, raising the total number killed in the political unrest to 23, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights said on Saturday.

Protesters seize state-run media in Bolivia as tensions soar

The new deaths were announced after five protesters were killed in clashes with security forces on Friday in central Bolivia, a political stronghold of exiled ex-president Evo Morales.

The Washington-based IACHR, a part of the Organization of American States, also recorded 122 wounded since Friday.

Ex-president Evo Morales attends a press conference. File photo

While the rights commission counts nine dead over the past two days, the official government tally remains at five.

Interim leader Jeanine Anez's cabinet chief Jerjes Justiniano told reporters on Saturday night that he would ask for "forensic doctors to speed up their work," but did not confirm a higher toll.

Interim leader Jeanine Anez poses for the photographers. File photo

Fierce clashes between Morales' supporters and police forces have been ongoing since Anez, 52, declared herself acting president on Tuesday.

The former deputy senate speaker took over the top job to avoid a power vacuum — a move endorsed by the Constitutional Court.

The IACHR said it considers as "serious" her Thursday decree authorizing the armed forces to participate in maintaining order and exempting them from any criminal responsibility.

Police block the highway that connects Sacaba and Cochabamba to prevent protesters. AP

Morales, 60, said on Twitter that the measure gave "carte blanche and impunity to massacre people."

Unrest in Bolivia first erupted when Morales -- the country's first indigenous president — was accused of rigging the results of October 20 polls to gain re-election for a fourth term.

He eventually resigned and fled to Mexico after losing the support of Bolivia's security forces following weeks of protests.

UN warns as death toll mounts

The United Nations warned on Saturday violence in Bolivia could "spin out of control" following recent skirmishes between security forces and coca farmers loyal to ousted President Evo Morales that have left nine dead.

Morales resigned under pressure from Bolivia's police and military last Sunday after evidence of vote rigging tainted his Oct. 20 election victory. He fled to Mexico two days after his resignation.

The leftist and charismatic former coca farmer has since called his ouster a right-wing "coup" and decried growing allegations of repression by security forces under interim President and former conservative lawmaker Jeanine Anez. "The coup leaders massacre indigenous and humble people for asking for democracy," Morales said on Twitter following reports of mounting deaths.