Protests Erupt in Bolivia

CHEN:
Protests in Bolivia have escalated. Since President Evo Morale's proposals to redistribute farmland to the poor and overhaul the constitution have met with fierce resistance in certain parts of Bolivia.

STORY:
Bonfires on the streets of Trinidad in Bolivia. Clashes continue in reaction to President Evo Morales' recent decree to hold a December referendum on a controversial new constitution. His proposals to redistribute farmland to the poor and overhaul the constitution have met with fierce resistance in certain parts of Bolivia.

Morales' opponents see the proposed changes as a threat to their autonomy and rich hydrocarbon resources, and they are taking to the streets and trying to take over public offices.

However there is a different view in the capitol, La Paz.

Bolivian Government Minister Alfredo Rada, said the majority of Bolivians support the government, and not the actions of the demonstrators.

[Alfredo Rada, Bolivian Government Minister]:
"These are threats that of course the country, not only the government, reject. The citizens, the majority of the citizens in Bolivia are not in agreement with this violent route."


Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, has said his new constitution will give more power to the poor, Indian majority that makes up his support base, but his opponents feel it will give him too much.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• NTD
• NTDTV
• News
• Trinidad
• Bolivia
• Protests
• Clashes
• President
• Morales'
• referendum
• controversial
• constitution
• farmland

[siemprelola]

Well said margaritalatina, and notice that the people who is savaging all the offices and looting everything inside them, are people paid by the rich families that are behind all this vandalism. I hope the goverment stands up and stops them, arrest them for violating the law and conspiracy, they should be put in jail, they must learn to live in democracy, they are destroying Bolivia, only to protect their fortunes, to continue living with opulence in a country where many people is starving

[margaritalatina]

Who is behind the opposition? In every crime you should always look at who is going to benefit and who looses out. The New Constitution is nothing revolutionary, however it has some progresive points: such as recognizing services, water, health care, education, communications, as human rights &therefore makes them impossible to privatise. While US &European policy on this is:PRIVATISATION. Why? because it gives millions o euros in profits, but at the expense of peoples sufering.

[margaritalatina]

The result of the referendum to the question: do you agree with the policies taken forward by the Evo Morales government? 2/3 of the population answered YES. So, the majority agree with the reforms. The new constitution was written by elected representatives &it's ready for the referendum. At this referendum those who disagree can say YES or NO. So, What is the problem? Why attack people over a question? if you don't like the constitution say NO? The reason is that they know they will loose.

[Camba007]

Finaced by the CIA and the United STATES.