Bolivian Congress accepts president's resignation
Bolivia's Congress Thursday unanimously accepted the resignation of President Carlos Mesa and appointed President of the Supreme Court Eduardo Rodriguez as interim leader of the South American country.

The appointment of Rodriguez came after both Senate leader Hormando Vaca Diez and House leader Mario Cossio refused to accept the post in succession, said reports from Sucre, the constitutional capital of Bolivia.

According to the constitution, the interim president is entitled to call new elections.

The decisions were made by Congress in a quick late-night emergency session without debate.

Late on Monday, Mesa announced his decision to resign after mass anti-government protesters paralyzed the country for several weeks. Earlier this year, he also offered resignation, but was turned down by Congress.

The unrest in Bolivia erupted after the National Congress passed a law on May 17 to levy a 50-percent tax on foreign oil and gas companies operating in Bolivia, which has the second largest gas reserves in South America after Venezuela.

The opposition demands higher taxes on foreign firms and the nationalization of the country's lucrative oil and gas industry.

Demonstrations have escalated into riots since May 24 when demonstrators blocked a downtown square in La Paz, where the executive and legislative branches of government are located, and began to smash windows in buildings and cars in the surrounding streets.

In a bid to halt oil and gas production, hundreds of peasants in the eastern Santa Cruz province have blockaded roads and entrances to four natural gas fields operated by foreign firms