Bolivia: Defiant Santa Cruz votes separatist referendum, Govt says fraud

Caracas, Venezuela, 4 May, 2008. Early this morning, Bolivians from eastern province of Santa Cruz started to cast their votes on a separatist referendum. Even though small bursts of violence and twenty already injured have taken place among separatist and pro Evo Morales popular forces, there is a general calm in Santa Cruz.  According to the official Agencia Bolivian de Información (ABI) turnout is rather low. The Government has rejected the referendum as illegal.

As events develop, some pro Evo Morales forces intersected some electoral material. To their astonishment, they found ballots were already marked with yes option.  As expected and after voicing their findings, the Bolivian government called the referendum a fraud.  

No official, regional or OAS observers were appointed to oversee the electoral process.

Without OAS or regional backings, the outcome of the referendum would be show the willingness of Santa Cruz to embark into a separatist - autonomous journey. If a majority approves it, other eastern provinces might follow the private consultation referendum in defiance of constitutional provisions violence and civil unrest might follow though. 

Bolivia: Defiant Santa Cruz votes separatist referendum, Govt says fraud

Sources: ABI,El Universal, VTV, Golobovison, Union Radio, BBC Mundo,

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