Sunday, May 4, 2008

Bolivian State Set For Key Autonomy Vote

From Yahoo News:

SANTA CRUZ, Bolivia - Voters in Bolivia's largest state are likely to pass a sweeping autonomy referendum Sunday, dealing a blow to the country's leftist president and deepening an entrenched political conflict.

Santa Cruz state leaders are pushing the referendum in a bid to keep a bigger slice of the state's key natural gas revenues, while also protecting their soy plantations and cattle ranches from President Evo Morales' plan to redistribute land to the poor.

Morales says he needs a strong central government to spread Santa Cruz's wealth to the rest of South America's poorest country.

Read more ....

Update: Bolivia Region 'Chooses Autonomy' -- BBC News

Update: Santa Cruz Autonomy Vote Passes In Bolivia-- Morales Supporters Promise War -- Gateway Pundit

My Comment: I live in Quebec, Canada. We have had a separatist movement in this province for as long as I can remember. This conflict has its origins from a central government not respecting/communicating/not being sensitive/etc. to a majority of an ethnic group in this region. This lack of accommodation has brought violence, intolerance, ethnic conflict .... and while much of it is now below the surface .... it is still there.

Morales is doing the same mistake that previous Canadian and Quebec politicians did. How far this will go will be up to him.

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