U.S., Bolivian Drug Agents Flee Town’s Wrath in Raid

U.S. and Bolivian drug agents raided this town today in search of cocaine traffickers but were forced to flee by thousands of angry residents, some shouting “Kill the Yankees!”

No arrests were made and no cocaine was seized. Authorities said there were no reports of injuries.

Bolivian officials, assisted by U.S. troops, have been raiding cocaine laboratories at jungle ranches in Bolivia for the last three months. However, today’s raid marked the first time an entire town became the target of the crackdown on drugs.

The raid was prompted by reports that several major cocaine traffickers were hiding in Santa Ana, a town of about 5,000 people.

Santa Ana’s economy originally was based on cattle-raising, but many residents have prospered because of cocaine trafficking.

About an hour after the raid, about 3,000 residents, drawn by the constant pealing of church bells, gathered at the town square to protest.

Some shouted “Kill them, kill them, don’t let them leave!” and “Yankee go home, kill the Yankees!”

The protesters surrounded the Bolivian officials and chased them to an airfield about three miles from the town square.

The U.S. officials had made a getaway about half an hour earlier and were already inside six Black Hawk helicopters staffed by U.S. soldiers and a Bolivian air force troop carrier when the mob arrived at the airfield.

Bolivian authorities fired tear gas and bullets into the air to disperse the crowd but did not succeed.

The demonstrators surrounded the troop carrier, preventing it from leaving until the mayor of Santa Ana was allowed to come aboard and verify that no residents had been arrested.