La Organización de Estados Americanos ha mandado a un representante para que ponga paz... /mode ironic on/ Seguro que lo consigue /Mode ironic off/Cuatro regiones se preparaban este sábado en Bolivia para instituir sus estatutos autonómicos. Las autonomías habían sido votadas en un referéndum, pero con posterioridad una Constitución vaciada de legitimidad --aprobada en un cuartel, en medio de disturbios y sólo con representantes oficialistas-- distorsionó las aspiraciones autonómicas. Ahora, el presidente Evo Morales dice que no permitirá "la división de Bolivia" y se vislumbra un fuerte enfrentamiento.
"No se permitirá ninguna separación, ninguna división de Bolivia", afirmó el mandatario en un acto de graduación de nuevos policías en La Paz.
"Aquí no hay autoritarismo ni dictadura", sostuvo Morales, al hacer un nuevo llamado al diálogo "sincero y honesto" con la oposición para que Bolivia siga cambiando y "deje de ser el último país de Suramérica".
Las críticas del presidente estuvieron dirigidas especialmente a las regiones opositoras de Santa Cruz, Tarija, Beni y Pando, cuyas autoridades darán a conocer mañana los estatutos de autonomía que quieren aplicar en esos departamentos y que han sido elaborados al margen del proyecto de nueva Constitución.
La población de esas regiones aprobó en un referendo en 2006 ir a un régimen autonómico departamental, que sus dirigentes impulsan por su cuenta porque consideran que el nuevo proyecto de Constitución promovido por Morales perjudica sus aspiraciones.
En Santa Cruz (oriente), la más grande y rica del país y feudo de la oposición a Morales, el consejo departamental se transformará en órgano legislativo y comenzará a elaborar una nueva base jurídica e institucional para esa región, publicó hoy el diario cruceño El Deber.
From BBC:
The regions are angry at a new draft national constitution that includes greater state control of the economy.
But the president has warned against taking steps towards autonomy and extra police and soldiers have been deployed.
The draft constitution has already been the trigger of violence, with at least three people killed in the central city of Sucre in clashes in November.
Natural resources
The Santa Cruz assembly backed a statute under which the region would keep two-thirds of its tax revenues on Thursday.
Three other regions - Tarija, Beni and Pando - are planning similar declarations at rallies on Saturday. Once the autonomy charters are declared, they will be put to the local populations for approval.
There were fears Bolivia could tip into civil unrest Saturday, as its four wealthiest provinces move to declare autonomy amid warnings from President Evo Morales that the army could intervene.
Demonstrations were due to take place during the day in the eastern regions of Santa Cruz, Tarija, Beni and Pando in which the governors were to formally announce greater self-rule.
Chuquisaca, the region that is home to the constitutional capital Sucre, also said it was gathering signatures on a petition with a view to calling a referendum soon on autonomy. A sixth province, Cochabamba, was wavering.
The leaders of the regions are protesting Morales's moves to overhaul the constitution to give himself greater powers and to redistribute much of the eastern provinces' wealth to the poor Andean highlands.
But the president on Friday threatened soldiers would step in if autonomy was implemented.
"There are the armed forces and the Bolivian people to make sure the country will never disintegrate," he said.
From Yahoo-McClatchy Washington Bureau:
WASHINGTON — A special envoy from the Organization of American States was in Bolivia on Friday to monitor potentially explosive developments in that country's battle over efforts to rewrite its constitution.
OAS officials said that Raul Alconada , a senior official of the organization's political department who arrived in the country late Thursday, hopes to meet with President Evo Morales to discuss OAS involvement in monitoring a yet-to-be-scheduled referendum on the new constitution.
Conservative governors in the country's eastern half have rejected the draft constitution and are poised to seek referendums of their own that would transfer to their provinces rights to levy taxes and set up police forces that traditionally have belonged only to Bolivia's central government.
The head of the OAS, Jose Miguel Insulza , told McClatchy by phone that he'll travel to La Paz soon. Morales and Insulza agreed to the organization's involvement when the two met in Buenos Aires, Argentina , over the weekend. The governors also have asked the OAS to step in, OAS officials said.
''This is a positive step that will hopefully help defuse the tensions in Bolivia ,'' said Michael Shifter, an analyst with the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington research center. He said the political debate was driven by hardliners on both sides and that outside involvement could give a more prominent role to moderate factions.
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Technorati tags: Bolivia, socialismo del siglo XXI, Evo Morales.
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