BOLIVIA’S military elite tried to defuse unrest in the ranks by reversing plans yesterday to fire more than 400 non-commissioned officers who protested against alleged racist discrimination.

But the announcement by the armed forces chief General Victor Baldivieso following a night of violent protests in La Paz did not include all 700 NCOs ordered sacked after protests last month — triggering a threat of further unrest.

During violent clashes late on Friday relatives of NCOs tried to storm the central La Paz barracks that house the general’s HQ.

Military police fired tear gas to disperse the protesters and at least two women were overcome by the fumes.

Protest leaders say that their grievance is with the army top brass not with the government of left-wing President Evo Morales, the country’s first indigenous leader.

He called on Friday for NCOs to end their protests, telling the strikers: “The people need you.”

But Sandra Lopez, leader of an association of NCOs’ wives, vowed: “We are going to radicalise our protests next week.”

Trouble first flared on April 22 when hundreds of sergeants marched in uniform through the centre of La Paz to protest against the sacking of four fellow NCOs and alleged racial discrimination.

An army order sacking more than 700 non-commissioned officers failed to quell the protests.

Gen Baldivieso said that the military courts had decided to “leave without effect” the sackings of 430 of the troops.

The enlisted ranks of Bolivia’s 38,000-strong military are filled mainly with indigenous Aymara and Quechua soldiers.

NCOs complain that promotions are blocked because of their ethnicity.