Minister quits over policy

Bolivia’s defence minister has resigned in opposition to a crackdown on Indians protesting against an Amazon highway they say will cause damage to their lands.

Celicia Chacon said she did not agree with the government decision to break up a march against the project and detain hundreds of protesters.

About 100 protesters seized the landing strip in the town of Rurrenabaque yesterday to prevent police from using it to fly detainees out of the area.