Reuters AlertNet Lite - Bolivian governor calls off autonomy plans

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Bolivian governor calls off autonomy plans

15 Jan 2007 23:43:32 GMT
Source: Reuters

LA PAZ, Jan 15 (Reuters) - The governor of Cochabamba in central Bolivia said on Monday he will stop pressing for a referendum on regional autonomy, the issue that sparked deadly street clashes last week.

The announcement by Gov. Manfred Reyes Villa did not put an end to calls for his resignation as thousands rallied against him.

"I've decided to no longer pursue a referendum on regional autonomy," Reyes Villa told local radio while accusing the leftist government of President Evo Morales of stirring up protests aimed at ousting him.

The conflict arose from a power struggle between the central government and a majority of the country's regional governors who demand more independence and a larger share of state revenues.

Governors used to be presidential appointees but voters had a chance to elect them for the first time in December 2005. Six of the country's nine governors belong to opposition parties.

Wielding guns, sticks and machetes, pro-Morales demonstrators opposed to Reyes Villa's autonomy drive fought with the governor's supporters on Thursday. Two people died and dozens were injured.

Morales, who blamed Reyes Villa for the bloodshed because he supports "separatism in Bolivia," sent police and soldiers to pacify Cochabamba, a city 275 miles (440 km) east of Bolivia's administrative capital, La Paz.

Tensions continued in Cochabamba on Monday, with thousands of anti-Reyes Villa demonstrators vowing to keep up protests until the conservative governor resigns.

Thousands of Morales supporters also rallied in El Alto, a La Paz suburb, to demand that the governor of La Paz province quit for backing the autonomy movement, even though a majority in his region voted against it in a nationwide referendum last July.

The El Alto demonstrators threatened to step up protests if the governor did not resign within 48 hours.

La Paz's provincial leader, Gov. Jose Luis Paredes, told Reuters the opposition governors had agreed that if any one of them were forced to resign, the rest would step down and demand new regional and presidential elections.

Morales swept to power in a December 2005 election vowing to nationalize the energy sector and set up an assembly to rewrite the constitution to reflect the interests of the country's Indian majority.

More than 20 people have been killed in protests since Morales took office a year ago in South America's poorest country.

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Last updated:Mon Jan 15 23:44:45 2007