"Protesters from the Bolivian Workers Central (COB) have begun a hunger strike as the union entered its eighth consecutive day of demonstrations against Supreme Decree 5503 on Tuesday. Footage shows COB members marching through the streets of La Paz. Meanwhile, some members can be seen joining hunger strike pickets at the union's headquarters. "We are emphasising the rejection of Supreme Decree 5503 - a decree that has been imposed without consensus with the working class," said Shirley Bonilla, one of the teachers on hunger strike. "[This decree] has shown the bad intention the government has to raffle off, to hand over our country to foreign companies," she claimed. Jose Luis Alvarez, representative of Urban Teachers Union, described the hunger strike as a 'pressure measure' aimed at expanding street demonstrations and road blockades. "[The] objective is not to massively expand the hunger strike pickets, but rather they will be centers to call for mass street mobilisations, the blocking of roads and the paralysis of the economy demanding the repeal of decree 5503," he explained. Decree 5503, enacted last week by President Rodrigo Paz, introduced new fuel prices, with regular petrol at 6.96 bolivianos per litre ($1.01), premium petrol at 11 bolivianos ($1.59), and diesel at 9.80 bolivianos ($1.42). The government warned that the worker-led mobilisations and allied protests could have a political agenda, a claim rejected by demonstrators. Meanwhile, workers have vowed to continue demonstrations until the decree is repealed."