Bolivia's President has condemned an attack on a female Mayor in which a mob forcibly cut her hair, covered her in paint and marched her barefoot through the streets.

Key points: Vindo Mayor Patricia Arce was dragged out of the city hall and forced to walk barefoot through the town

Vindo Mayor Patricia Arce was dragged out of the city hall and forced to walk barefoot through the town The ruling Movement for Socialism party condemned the attack, saying it happened because she is a woman

The ruling Movement for Socialism party condemned the attack, saying it happened because she is a woman Bolivia has been gripped by violence after opposition claims that the President rigged the October election

Bolivia has been rocked by deadly post-election violence over opposition claims that President Evo Morales rigged his re-election last month.

In the city of Vindo on Thursday (local time), a mob stormed the municipal headquarters and dragged Mayor Patricia Arce into the street before setting the building ablaze.

Images showed her on the ground, her hair cut, and covered in red paint.

She was dragged and forced to walk barefoot through the town by the mob, before being rescued by police on motorcycles.

Vindo Mayor Patricia Arce was dragged into the street by protesters, who also set the city hall on fire. ( AFP )

Mr Morales said in a tweet that Ms Arce — a member of his ruling Movement for Socialism (MAS) party — had been "cruelly abducted for expressing and defending her ideals and the principles of the poorest".

The party demanded the police bring the perpetrators to justice.

Mr Arce's office told local media the Mayor was recovering from her ordeal.

"For these people, being a woman is a crime, being humble is a crime, having a skirt is a crime," Vice-President Alvaro Garcia said.

"This has never happened in our democracy. That is called fascism: attacking women, assaulting them for their ethnic status. What Bolivia is facing is a fascist wave."

The Women's Social Organisations, linked to the ruling party, expressed "outrage" at the attack, and "for all the insults of hatred, racism, discrimination and violence" of the opposition.

AFP