Violent clashes follow Bolivian leader's resignation offer

An offer by President Carlos Mesa to resign did little today to halt a crippling blockade of the Bolivian capital.

Dynamite and tear gas exploded in La Paz as demonstrators demanding more power for Bolivia’s poor Indian majority clashed with police for a second day.

Helmeted riot police dragged miners from the yellow dump trucks they had used to converge on the city, beating some of the protesters.

Police led several people away as enraged protests scattered through city streets shouting slogans against Mesa’s unravelling free-market government.

Mesa announced his resignation only hours earlier. But demonstrators said that wasn’t enough and demanded early elections.