Thousands of protesters clashed with riot police in Bolivia's main city of La Paz on Monday during a demonstration to demand the government nationalise the country's oil and natural gas industry.
According to witnesses, at least two people were injured and a reported five arrested during incidents outside the Congress in La Paz.
Journalists at the scene said one miner was hit by a tear gas cannister and another demonstrator hit by a rubber bullet.
The protesters, mainly indigenous, were prevented by police from entering the central square.
Police fired tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon when the demonstrators breached security force lines and began approaching the Congress building, which was evacuated.
Some protestors called for the resignation of President Carlos Mesa, who has refused to sign the controversial new energy bill as he considers the level of taxes to be unworkable.
Demonstrations were also held across the country, with protesters blocking main roads in the capital and other main cities.
An estimated 10,000 people marched to La Paz from suburban El Alto, with several hundred people staging a similar march from Caracollo, around 200 kilometres from La Paz.
The law has already received Congress' approval.
It would raise the taxes paid by foreign energy firms to 50 percent of their revenues.
Farmers and unionists want the bill to be made stricter and signed into law, saying nationalisation is the only way they will benefit from Bolivia's natural resources.
However the president, who is backed by business groups, is expected to make some amendments to the bill before sending it back to Congress for final approval.
