Dispute puts Bolivia vote on hold

Bolivia is a country to watch. With tremendous energy resources and a growing social consciousness demanding nationalization of the industry, Bolivia is on the brink of being a major player in the global energy crisis. Interestingly enough, as Evo Morales begins to climb into a frontrunner lead in the polls there is a sudden threat that the elections planned for December will be put on hold.

Note that the Parlimentary seats gained are in the largely mestizo and economically strong province of Santa Cruz, while the seats lost are in the highland areas largely inhabited by the indigenous Aymará.

Whose hand is at play here? All eyes on the Américas por favor.

Presidential elections in Bolivia have been put on hold after a court ordered the redistribution of several seats in the country’s parliament.

Three highland provinces will lose representation, while the eastern area of Santa Cruz will gain more seats.

The head of Bolivia’s election board said the vote, due before the end of the year, could not take place until the court ruling was implemented.

The affected provinces branded the decision a conspiracy.

They have threatened blockades on major roads.

Bolivia’s last elected President, Carlos Mesa, quit in June after mass demonstrations against his government and weeks of blockades brought the country to a standstill.

Interim President Eduardo Rodriguez agreed to hand over power to a democratically elected leader before the end of the year.

Impact

Mr Rodriguez called for calm and said that Congress would have to find a political solution to the issue.

Oscar Hassenteuffel, the head of Bolivia’s election board, said no vote could take place until parliament approves the changes.

Bolivia’s constitutional court ruled against an electoral law that said population information from a 2001 census should form the basis for parliamentary elections.

It said that Potosi, Oruro y La Paz provinces should lose seats, while Santa Cruz would gain at least four.

If approved, the changes are…

Posted by manyhues
I believe I found GNN and started reading from these pages during the 2000 election fiasco, but I started this manyhues blog on September 11, 2005, while working on pulp and wood products industry issues in Southern Chile. I posted another series of blogs...