KUALA LUMPUR: “With… the firing of tear gas, I can still feel my eyes smarting, even though I am inside the hostel where I am staying. All the roads are closed.
“The roar of fighter jets is heard every day (in the afternoon) for the past three days,” a Malaysian tourist told Bernama via WhatsApp, today.
Muhammad Syameen Abd Raub, 28, is in La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, which is in the grip of deadly anti-government protests.
The dentist from Kampung Delek, Klang, Selangor, had been vacationing in the South American country since Nov 9, when a popular uprising began.
He said the operator of his hostel has taken precautions by lowering the hostel signboard to seem less conspicuous.
“The issue of getting food is not a problem, as there is a restaurant in the hostel.
“No curfew has been imposed as far as I know, just that people have been discouraged from going out.
“At first, the situation was expected to be peaceful after former Bolivian President (Evo Morales) resigned, but now, his supporters are protesting in the streets,” said Syameen.
Bolivia was plunged into chaos when protesters rejected the results of a presidential election in October, which saw Morales win a fourth term in office.
He was forced to resign on Sunday amid pressure from the military and police, and fled to Mexico after being granted political asylum there.
Syameen said that almost the entire land transport system in Bolivia is paralysed, and the best option to leave the country is via air.
“I plan to fly to Argentina tomorrow. It only takes 20 minutes to reach the airport from the hostel, and I will ask the hostel management to arrange the taxi for me.
“My advice to those who are planning to travel to Bolivia is to cancel their trip if they have purchased a flight ticket. The Bolivians themselves do not know how long this political tension will continue.
“Delay the trip until the situation stabilises,” he said, adding that consular officials at the Malaysian Embassy in Peru have kept in touch with him by email, and advised him to stay at the hostel until things return to normal.