Peasamts occupy land belonging to ousted Bolivia president

["Fred Feldman" <ffeldman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

LA PAZ, Bolivia, Oct 21 (Reuters) - Dozens of landless Bolivian
peasants have invaded a farm belonging to the family of toppled ex-
President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, occupying the farmhouse and
seizing around 250 milking cows, a family friend said on Tuesday.

Bolivia's new government, which took over after a deadly revolt
forced Sanchez de Lozada to resign on Friday and flee to the United
States, said it was trying to find a peaceful way to defuse the
situation.

"(They took over) the whole property, the house, the farm, animal
pens ... and 250 milking cows," a family friend said on condition of
anonymity.

The landless peasants invaded the farm 43 miles (70 km) outside La
Paz at dawn on Monday, and vowed to stay put.

"The constitution, Bolivia's principal law, states that unproductive
land must be expropriated or turned over to those who have none,"
said Angel Duran, head of Bolivia's Landless Movement.

The property of nearly 1,700 hectares (4,200 acres) belongs to the
heirs of the murdered brother of Sanchez de Lozada's wife, and
suffered a similar invasion earlier this year.


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