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Bolivia's Information Agency has reported that two people were killed and at least 30 injured earlier this week during a confrontation between miners and police at Bolivia's largest tin mine, the Huanuni mine in Oruro.

As many as 4,000 miners have blockaded roads between the city of Oruro and the capital La Paz for more than a week in a dispute over pensions at the tin mine, located about 115 miles from La Paz.

The miners' strike is part of a movement by Bolivia's largest labor federation, Central Obrera Boliviana (COB), which is calling for bigger pensions and a lower retirement age. The COB claims to represent 2 million Bolivian workers.

Pedro Montes, the leader of a miners' co-operative, said the miners have asked for discussion with the government because of the violence.

The violence erupted just a few days prior to a recall vote this Sunday that could force Bolivia's President Evo Morales and regional governments out of office.  The government said both the Huanuni miners' and the anti-Morales protests were attempts by the opposition to weaken the president before the recall vote.

Anti-government protestors also tried to take over the main airport in the natural-gas region of Tarija, forcing the cancellation of a regional summit with Argentinean President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and their host Morales.