Bolivia: after the "referendum" (Updated)

Caracas, Venezuela, 6 May 2008. Two days after the so-called "referendum", there is still uncertainty over its real outcome. Figures on turnout and invalid votes are not definite but they range from 48.3% to nearly 50%. Such figures and the findings of forged ballots have allowed the Evo Morales government to disdain the whole consultation on Sunday.  Furthermore, there is likely to have a Supreme Court disproval ruling of the consultation as illegal. The Santa Cruz "Referendum" was arranged without proper constitutional backing but it received a 80% "backing" of those who cared to vote.

However, its illegality does not mean it did not have a political impact on Bolivia and the region. Morales government has insisted on dialogue as a political solution to the crisis. However, it has also announced that the drafted socialist constitution would be voted as planned soon. According to Bolivian legislation, the draft constitution articles would be voted in two different referenda. Local Catholic Church has called for a merging of the drafted constitution and the autonomy statutes.

At a regional level, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez has warned over local separatists movements in the western regions of the country.  The opposition has rejected such suggestion as baseless. Newly elected President of Paraguay, Fernando Lugo, has rejected the "referendum" as illegal too. On the other hand, Peace Nobel Prize winner, Adolfo Perez Esquivel has said the "referendum" intended to overthrow the legitimate government of Evo Morales.  EU has offered itself as a mediator in the current crisis.

Despite the fact that Santa Cruz is rather calm, five pro gvernment protestors remain in prison. It is still unclear what the "referendum" autonomy statutes would change in Santa Cruz. It seems a new local 28 member legislature would be elected once all votes have been counted.

PS: On Tuesday 6 May 2008, President Morales travelled to Nicaragua to attend a Regional Summit on Food Sovereignty. Then, President Daniel Ortega met him at a public gathering in Managua. During a speech at Plaza de la Revolución (Revolution Square), President Morales explained the recent referendum was organized by extreme right racist loggias. They cannot tolerate an indigenous President of Bolivia, Morales added. Finally, President Morales recalled that Bolivia had only US$1,700 millions when he took office. After two years in the Presidency, his government managed to increase it to US$6,000 millions, Morales concluded. 

On the other hand and speaking from La Paz, the Bolivian Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera said the autonomous statutes of Tarija, Pando and Beni were less confrontational. Thus, there were likely to be included in the draft constitution. Direct negotiations between those provinces and the government would start from Monday 12 May. According to Correo del Sur, Eastern provinces would only initiate a dialogue once the government recognizes the outcome of the Santa Cruz referendum and accepts the mediation of the local Catholic Church. The Morales government has rejected the Church as an objective mediator though.

Sources: ABI, Telesur,BBCMundo, YVKE, Unionradio, Los Tiempos, El Diario, RadioFdes,  

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