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Bolivian government, opposition at loggerheads over reforms
AFP
LA PAZ
Petroleumworld.com 11 28 06Bolivia's socialist government and conservative opposition said they will try again on Tuesday to defuse a political crisis over President Evo Morales' radical reform agenda that threatens to bring the country to a standstill.
A third meeting Sunday failed to bring agreement on Morales's plans to redistribute land to the poor, reform the constitution and expand his authority to fire the country's nine regional governors, six of whom broke ties with him last week.
Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linares Monday stressed "the complexity of the negotiations" on announcing that more talks were scheduled for late Tuesday.
The proposed reforms had been stimied in Congress by the majority Podemos (We Can) and Unidad Nacional (National Unity) parties, which have boycotted proceedings in the Senate, blocking adoption of the land reform bill already passed the lower chamber.
The opposition feels the government "has proposed nothing," Podemos Senator Walter Guiteras told reporters after Sunday's meeting.
He said the government appeared split between moderates and radicals who are aiming to turn "tomorrow's Bolivia into today's Cuba," in reference to Morales' left leaning policies and friendship with other anti-US and pro-Cuban leaders, including Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
Elected last year, Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president and one of several leftist leaders in Latin America, including Ecuador's just-elected Rafael Correa, has been met with stiff opposition in Bolivia's more prosperous regions.
There have been calls for "civil resistance" and a walkout by conservative lawmakers in Congress, and some of Morales' opponents have launched hunger strikes, including multi-millionaire businessman Samuel Doria.
In support of Morales' reform plans, thousands of farm workers from Bolivia's impoverished regions marched on La Paz Monday to demand that his land reform be adopted by Congress.
A column of Aymara indians were also 15 kilometers (10 miles) from La Paz with the intent of showing their support for Morales.
AFP 27 1550 GMT 11 06
Copyright© 2001 AFP. All Rights Reserved.
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