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Bolivian President
Leads March For New Constitution
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Bolivian President Leads
March For New
Constitution
LIMA - Bolivian
President Evo Morales
Monday joined the last
part of a massive march
to the country's capital
La Paz to press Congress
to call a referendum on
his proposed
constitution.
According to information
reaching here from La
Paz, the week-long
march, organized by the
country's National
Coordinator for the
Change (Conalcam) and
supporters of Morales,
was launched by the
president himself on
Oct. 13 in the western
city of Caracollo.
The march, taking place
on the highway that
connected Oruro andLa
Paz, is to cover a total
distance of 199kms from
Caracollo to La Paz.
The constitution
proposed by Morales,
which was approved by
parliament in December,
is expected to give the
country's indigenous
more rights and
financial benefits.
The opposition is
vehemently against a
referendum needed to
turn the draft
constitution into law,
saying the document does
not meet their demand
for greater autonomy in
the
opposition-controlled
eastern provinces.
Congress's failure to
pass the referendum is
also attributable to the
conflicting opinions of
the ruling party and the
opposition, over the
reelection of the
president which is to be
included in the new
constitution.
The opposition wants
Morales's term to be
counted from January
2006 when he took
office, thus, it will
expire in 2011.
The ruling party insists
the president's first
administration should be
counted from the general
election in 2009, which
will allow Morales to
rule till 2020.
Monday's march began at
around 07:00 local time
(1200 GMT) from Achica
Arriba, some 25 kms from
the capital. More and
more people joined the
march as it proceeded.
The protestors include
people living in
Caracollo, Aymara
natives from Huarina,
coca growers from the
region of Los Yungas, as
well as students and
workers.
"This new constitution
favors our people,
because it will give us
the possibility of
owning lands to work on
them," said Robin Rivero,
a Tacana native.
"Just a few people
occupy a great amount of
land while thousands of
Bolivians (are) without
that right," Rivero
added.
Ramiro Galindo,
president of the
Coordinator of the
Ethnic People from Santa
Cruz, said that "this
march will continue till
(we) arrive at La Paz
and the protestors will
stay there till the
referendum is approved."
"Nobody could refuse the
historical demand of all
the Bolivian people
gathering in the march,"
Galindo said.
Among the protestors are
also some workers from
Argentina and Brazil,
who support the
political process in
Bolivia.
Groups of Bolivian and
Cuban doctors can be
seen among the
protestors. They have
been marching to help
out in any emergencies.
The protesters are
waving three-color
flags, wiphalas (a
regional emblem) and
posters demanding the
approval of the new
constitution.
The massive march is to
arrive at La Paz at
14:40 local time (1949
GMT).
An agreement between the
ruling party and the
opposition will be
announced a few minutes
after the march reaches
its destination.
According to the
agreement, the general
election to renew the
country's executive and
legislative power will
be held in the first two
weeks of 2009.
Nearby schools have been
closed during the march.
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