Paramilitary Threats Make Bolivia Edgy
New threats from separatist groups and a government denunciation of the formation of paramilitary bands keep political and social tensions high in Bolivia, although the Executive achieved the end of road blockades on Friday.

The Autonomic Provisional Assembly of eastern Santa Cruz threatened to endorse a new Constitution and call for its own Constituent Assembly that could even involve other regions, if the Constituent Assembly does not accept to make decisions only by a two-thirds majority.

The regionalist movement, dominated by business and conservative interests hopes to count on the governors of Tarija, Beni and Pando.

President Evo Morales has accused opposition prefects of conspiring to illegally overthrow him and Interior Minister Alicia Muñoz accused Pando Prefect Leopoldo Fernandez of organizing 100 paramilitaries trained by ex police who lost their jobs for corruption.

The demand from the traditional parties´ meeting is in contrast with the position defended by most participants for an absolute majority rule.

Vice President Alvaro Garcia has proposed an intermediate measure allowing the Assembly to approve articles of the new Constitution by absolute majority but a two-thirds vote for articles about autonomy and departmental oil regulations, as well as land rules.

Garcia also noted that social organizations will use force to defend the process of changes, after apologizing for having called the indigenous to be prepared for that eventually armed, fight..