Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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September 14, 2008

Bolivian President Defies Opposition, Promotes Reforms
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1E2FC66:A6F02AD83191E1603069BAF397E1FD0AF47489ACC27D21EE&
 
Protests against President Evo Morales plans to rewrite the constitution
turned deadly this week 
Protesters in Bolivia's capital, La Paz, 12 Sep 2008Bolivian President
Evo Morales continued promoting his plans for sweeping socialist reforms
Saturday, despite signs of a compromise with right-wing opponents aimed
at quelling political violence. Protests against Mr. Morales' plans to
rewrite the constitution turned deadly this week. On Saturday - the same
day the government and a key opposition leader (Mario Cossio) held talks
to defuse the conflict - Mr. Morales urged his supporters to defend the
reform process. He accused those against the reforms of "plotting a
fascist, racist coup." The governor of Tarija province, Mario Cossio,
called for peace Saturday after meeting with government officials in La
Paz. He represented a group of governors opposed to Mr. Morales' plans.
At least 17 people died in clashes between pro-government demonstrators
and opposition supporters in Bolivia's northeastern Pando province. The
violence prompted Mr. Morales to declare martial law in Pando, and to
send troops to take control of the airport in the provincial capital
(Cobija). Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has called an emergency
meeting of the 12-nation Union of South American Nations (Unasur) to
resolve the crisis. Ms. Bachelet said she organized Monday's meeting
after talking with Mr. Morales. She said the group will work to bring
the sides together and move toward stability and peace in the Andean
nation. Mr. Morales blamed Pando Governor Leopoldo Fernandez for the
deaths in Pando, saying he orchestrated a "massacre" of government
supporters. Fernandez denied the allegation. Last month, opposition
groups in Bolivia's oil-rich eastern provinces began demonstrating
against the president's plans to rewrite the constitution and
redistribute land and natural gas revenues to the poor.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.


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