US says Bolivian coup included savage acts

The State Department, citing what it called reliable reports, said Wednesday the military junta that seized power in Bolivia last week was responsible for savage mistreatment of hundreds of citizens. Spokesman John Trattner said that "widespread, even savage, violations of human rights" were reported to have been conducted by the Bolivian armed forces at the joint operations center in La Paz.

He said the United States, which has deplored the takeover, was considering cutting development assistance programs for Bolivia. At stake is more than $115 million in economic aid authorized in previous years. As a result of the coup, the US has already suspended arms deliveries and withdrawn its ambassador to Bolivia.