[Marxism] Opposition compares Bolivian situation with Yugoslavia

["Fred Fuentes" <fred.fuentes@xxxxxxxxx>]

Sunday, March 2, 2008
Direct Link: http://www.mercopress.com/vernoticia.do?id=12789&formato=html

Opposition compares Bolivian situation with Yugoslavia

Opposition leaders in Bolivia warned of a "fractured country" and
accused President Evo Morales of leading Bolivia in the footsteps of
Yugoslavia while calling for "civil resistance" in those provinces
that openly reject the constitutional reforms to be voted next May.

"They are only looking for a confrontation among Bolivians; these
irresponsible characters who speak of unity, are fracturing the
country and working overtime to covert us in Yugoslavia", claimed
Ruben Costas governor of Santa Cruz, the country's richest province
and the heart of the autonomy movement.

Former president Jorge Quiroga and leader of the opposition group
Podemos said the convening of a referendum to approve constitutional
amendments was "a violent attack on democracy", adding that he would
lead an international campaign to denounce "totalitarian attitudes" in
Bolivia and call for "civil, peaceful and democratic resistance".

A government majority this week approved a constitutional review which
is described as the "foundation" of indigenous Bolivia but rejected by
the rich provinces, plus a bill calling for a referendum on limiting
farmland property, supposedly to distribute land among the
impoverished Indians.

Opposition members were barred from entering Congress by protesting
peasants. Indians and miners, some of whom even exploded dynamite
sticks.

A third bill signed by President Morales bans regional referendums to
decide on provincial autonomies, an initiative sponsored by the
provinces rich in agriculture, oil and gas, who want more of the
royalties and taxes returning to their contributors.

"We're going to guarantee autonomy but in the framework of legitimacy
and legality", said President Morales.

However Costas said there's "no way we're stopping the autonomy
process in Santa Cruz" while officials from Tarija, Beni, Pando and
Chuquisaca indicated they would hold meetings to decide on their
autonomy process.

But some groups supporting President Morales warned that if
"repression" was needed to stop the autonomies movement, "we'll go to
Santa Cruz and shut them up", said Andres Villca head of the Miners
Cooperatives Federation, a group which actively supports the Bolivian
leader and is present in all political rallies promoted by the
president.

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