OAS envoy arrives at Bolivia to mediate in separatist crisis

Caracas,Venezuela, 30 April 2008. The Organization of American States (OAS) has sent its Secretary for political affairs, Argentinean Dante Caputo, to mediate in the secession crisis. After failing to arrange for a meeting with rightist separatist in Santa Cruz led by Raul Costas, Caputo finally arrived at La Paz today. Upon arrival and after a meeting with President Evo Morales, the Bolivian socialist government backed the OAS initiative. Secretary Caputo would be travelling to Santa Cruz to meet Raul Costas and negotiate an institutional outcome for the crisis. After receiving feedback on this OAS proposal, Caputo would return to La Paz to meet with Evo Morales government. Expectations on the OAS initiative are rather high. Catholic Church has also make calls for immediate negotiations between the separatists and Evo Morales government prior to the planned referendum on 4 May 2008.

Bolivian government intends to denounce calls for ethnic cleansing made by the rightist separatists. Most Bolivian have indigenous origins. However, they live in a most striking atmosphere of intolerance and segregation established since colonial times. Autonomy calls based on ethnicity are not new political events in Bolivia. However, on this occasion they have been replaced by ideologist confrontation between right and left.  

More updated news to come...

Sources: ABI, VTV, Globovision, El Universal, OAS, BBC Mundo, Los Tiempos,

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