A Bolivian police officer says he was bitten by a Venezuelan diplomat he stopped on suspicion of driving drunk. For his part, the diplomat says the officer broke his jaw.

Sub-Lieutenant Franklin Mamani says the diplomat he identified only as Alexis T aggressively asserted diplomatic immunity and bit off a piece of his nose during the traffic stop.

Dennis Espinoza is an attorney for the diplomat, and he told Radio Erbol on Thursday that the police officer actually beat his client and broke his jaw. The embassy itself had no comment because most of its personnel are on vacation.

Television images seem to support both versions: They show the envoy with a bloodied face and the officer with a scarred nose.