On the evening of 2 January 2023, police officers fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators who had gathered near the Christ the Redeemer monument in the Santa Cruz city center. The demonstration was organized to protest the continued detention of the governor of Santa Cruz department, who leads the opposition Creemos party and was recently arrested and detained on charges of allegedly plotting a coup in 2019. Following the arrest, the governor’s supporters have launched multiple protests and erected roadway blockades in Santa Cruz. Demonstrators and police officers also clashed near the Christ the Redeemer monument on 28 December after protesters attempted to break into police headquarters.