On 28 October, 2020, Orlando Gutiérrez Luna, executive secretary of Bolivia’s miners’ union, the Federación Sindical de Trabajadores Mineros de Bolivia (FSTMB) died after suffering a severe assault on 21 October, 2020.
The attack took place shortly after the electoral victory of the Movement Towards Socialism (MAS-IPSP) party. A senior union leader and a potential MAS-IPSP senate candidate for La Paz (until his candidacy was rejected by the electoral authorities) Gutiérrez had been the target of numerous death threats over many years.
According to reports, against a backdrop of protests against the MAS-IPSP election victory, Gutierrez Luna and another union leader were attacked by right wing groups in two separate attacks.
Gutiérrez Luna was badly beaten, though his family and comrades have not disclosed any major details of the attack. He was taken to hospital and while he initially appeared to be recovering his condition suddenly deteriorated and he died.
Gutierrez was one of the most high-profile miners in the country and following the election victory of MAS there was speculation that he would be offered a post in the government, as Minister of Labour.
