La Paz: Bolivian Deputy Interior Minister Rodolfo Illanes, who was held hostage by striking miners, died late on Thursday, the director of Fedcomin radio, Moises Flores, said.

"We went to the site where Deputy Minister Illanes was and we found him lifeless. We are very shocked, we are running a risk because the miners are furious," Efe news agency quoted Flores as saying. Flores told Erbol Radio by telephone from Panduro, some 180 kilometres from La Paz, where clashes erupted between miners and police.