SANTA CRUZ, Bolivia (AP) - Hundreds of thousands of Bolivians in this eastern lowland city protested Friday to demand more autonomy from the government of President Evo Morales and reject his control over an assembly rewriting the constitution.The crowds stretched for blocks in all directions from the city's signature giant Jesus statue, forming a sea of green-and-white flags of the state of Santa Cruz, which has long sought greater leeway from La Paz, the capital 400 miles to the west.
A bitter fight over Morales' control of an assembly rewriting Bolivia's constitution has given the cause fresh urgency. Morales envisions a new constitution giving a greater voice to
"The people of Santa Cruz love Bolivia as a son loves his mother," said German Antelo, president of the Santa Cruz Civic Committee, a non-governmental assembly organizing the protests. "They call us enemies and accuse us of wanting to divide the country," he said of Morales and his allies. "But the truth is that they're anti-Bolivia. Their country is half of the half of a greedy, egotistical, discriminatory heart."
Similar demonstrations also took place in the southern city of Tarija and in the Amazonian northeast city of Trinidad. Another protest was scheduled for Cobija, on the Brazilian border.