Morales heads mass march for Bolivia constitution

Reuters

FOLLOW THE LEADER: Bolivian President Evo Morales waves as he takes part in a march in El Alto on the outskirts of La Paz. Thousands of Morales' supporters have marched to pressure congressmen to pass a law for a referendum vote to approve a new constitution.

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Bolivian President Evo Morales led tens of thousands of supporters in a march on Congress, where rival lawmakers are deadlocked over a bill that would pave the way for a new constitution.

The controversial new constitution, which envisions a state based on indigenous values and aims to entrench leftist economic principals, has to be approved in a referendum.

However, Congress must first pass a law allowing the referendum to be held, and Morales' rightist opponents – who fiercely oppose the draft constitution – control the Senate. They say the document would give too much power to Morales, the country's first Indian leader.

"What are the grass-roots movements asking for? Only for Congress to ratify a law so. . . people with their vote can decide No or Yes to the new constitution," Morales said as he joined the last stretch of the week-long 200km march by peasant farmers, indigenous activists and miners.

Marchers shouted slogans against the opposition as they neared the administrative capital La Paz, waving the multicolored checked flag that represents indigenous peoples. Some threatened to storm Congress if lawmakers did not approve the constitutional referendum.

According to local media, more than 50,000 people took part in the march.

Morales, a close ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, wants the referendum to take place early next year.

The draft constitution would let presidents stay in power for two consecutive terms, replacing the current one-term limit, and calls for a general election to be held within six months of the constitution being approved.

That has proved one of the biggest sticking points in discussions between the government and the opposition for the past week.

The opposition does not want to bring forward the general election scheduled for 2011, saying the vote would allow Morales to gain control of both legislative chambers.

Morales' right-wing rivals currently control the Senate and have been able to block some government reforms.

Since taking office in January 2006, Morales has implemented a string of reforms to increase state revenue from the country's energy and mineral deposits and has began spreading some of the wealth among the poor.

The new constitution would impose tough new limits on land ownership, paving the way for the government to seize land controlled by an economic elite to redistribute among poor indigenous farmers who make up Morales' power base.

It would also allow Morales to further tighten state control over natural resources and envisions greater autonomy for the country's nine provincial governments and to some indigenous communities.