If Chavez goes down, too, there is always Havana(the EU's designated National Whorehouse), and Berkeley after that.
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| Caribbean-Latin America | |
| Bolivians 'back new constitution' | |
| 2009-01-26 | |
| Bolivian President Evo Morales has claimed victory in a referendum on a new constitution aimed at improving conditions for the indigenous majority. Addressing supporters at the presidential palace, he said the result marked the birth of a new Bolivia. Exit polls for some TV stations put the yes vote at about 60%. The new constitution gives autonomy to indigenous peoples and boosts state control of the economy, but is opposed by many of the traditional elite. Many mixed-race people in the fertile eastern lowlands rejected the charter and four of Bolivia's nine provinces had a majority no vote, according to the exit polls.
Despite the yes vote, there is likely to be continued opposition to the constitution as it goes through parliament, says the BBC's Candace Piette in La Paz. "The Bolivian people have reiterated their commitment to democracy and to the democratic acts which are happening in peace today," said Mr Morales, an Aymara Indian. The Bolivian leader has followed his closest allies, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Ecuador's Rafael Correa, in rewriting their countries' constitutions to extend their rule, tackle inequalities and exert greater control over natural resources, observers say. Support for Mr Morales was highest in the western highlands where Indians are a majority. "Now is starting a new era in which indigenous people will be the citizens of this country. I think this is the most important part of this constitution," said Elisa Canqui, who represents one of the Indian communities in La Paz. Many Bolivians of European or mixed-race descent strongly oppose the constitution, but the head of an international monitoring team, Raul Lagos, said voting had been largely peaceful. Opponents concentrated in Bolivia's eastern provinces, which hold rich gas deposits, argue that the new constitution would create two classes of citizenship - putting indigenous people ahead of others. The original draft of the constitution was more radical but Mr Morales made concessions after violent protests against his rule, including a promise that he would not try to win a third term in 2014. Under pressure from wealthy ranchers, who feared their farms would be broken up and handed over to the poor, Mr Morales also revised the charter so that limits on land holdings will only apply to future land sales. The referendum will be followed by elections for president, vice-president and Congress in December. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #4 Evil may not care if he's overthrown. He can always flee to Venezuela, where he can live in luxurious martyrdom on Hezbollah's dime and host lavish parties for Oliver Stone and similar Hollywoodists. The latter, of course, will bring along an endless supply of gullible starlets and stray hippie chicks to provide more intimate companionship. If Chavez goes down, too, there is always Havana(the EU's designated National Whorehouse), and Berkeley after that. Truth to Power: |
| Posted by: Atomic Conspiracy 2009-01-26 22:45 |
| #3 for a Revolutionary icon they should put that Shemp haircut Evo wears |
| Posted by: Frank G 2009-01-26 19:46 |
| #2 I think they average a revolution every 17 months. |
| Posted by: mom 2009-01-26 19:40 |
| #1 What's the average time between revolutions in Bolivia? Aren't they past due already? |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2009-01-26 07:47 |