LATAM POLITICS TODAY-Bomb explodes in Colombian VP candidate's hometown

Demonstrations later turned violent. Bolivia's ruling party members come after president The vice president of Bolivia's governing Socialist party (MAS), led by former President Evo Morales, accused President Luis Arce this week of committing "high betrayal" for not raising his left fist while swearing in a new planning minister last week. Morales had made raising the left fist an important political symbol for the leftist party.

The latest in Latin American politics today:

Motorcycle bomb explodes in Colombian VP candidate's hometown A motorcycle bomb exploded today in Suarez, the hometown of Colombian vice presidential candidate Francia Marquez, who is running on the leftist ticket with Gustavo Petro in elections on Sunday.

Leider Johany Noscue, known as Mayimbu, an important leader from a criminal group of former Colombian rebels, was killed near Suarez on Monday. Colombia's runoff on Sunday is set to make history, as both presidential candidates have Afro-Colombian women as their running mates, one of whom will become Colombia's first black female vice president.

Puerto Rico party to vote on independence stance One of the island's two main political parties has announced it will ask its members to vote on their stance on independence, amid growing possibility of a territory-wide plebiscite .

The Popular Democratic Party announced the vote today, having previously supported the island's quasi-autonomous status from the U.S, which it said had "divided" members. Ecuador losses from protests amount to some $20 mln

Protests by Ecuador's indigenous communities against President Guillermo Lasso have cost businesses around $20 million and could endanger the country's economic reactivation if road blocks continue, the government said on Thursday. Indigenous communities began protests on Monday by blocking roads in Ecuador's Amazon and Andean regions in anger at conservative former banker Lasso's policies, demanding he freeze gasoline prices. Demonstrations later turned violent.

Bolivia's ruling party members come after president The vice president of Bolivia's governing Socialist party (MAS), led by former President Evo Morales, accused President Luis Arce this week of committing "high betrayal" for not raising his left fist while swearing in a new planning minister last week.

Morales had made raising the left fist an important political symbol for the leftist party. The comments follow other accusations by MAS hardliners that Arce's government has strayed too far from the former president.

Stripper interrupts Peruvian president's corruption hearing A supreme court judge was outlining reasons why Peruvian President Pedro Castillo should be investigated for corruption at a virtual hearing on Wednesday, when footage of a scantly clad male dancer appeared on screen through the account of Castillo's defense lawyer.

The lawyer said he was the victim of a "computer crime" and a "vulnerable" virtual judiciary system. The president has denied the accusations against him. Chile's minister says tax reform coming soon

Chile's government is set to push forward tax reform plans, including a bill on mining royalties, by the end of this month, a top Cabinet member to President Gabriel Boric told Reuters. Giorgio Jackson, Boric's minister secretary-general, said tax adjustments were a key focus, with a copper mining royalty plan likely the "number one" priority. (Compiled by Brendan O'Boyle and Isabel Woodford; Additional reporting by Johanna Alarcon and Tito Correa Editing by Alison Williams and Sandra Maler)

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