Morales aims to 'refound' Bolivia

LA PAZ:   Bolivian president Evo Morales on Thursday set the date for a national referendum to seek approval for a new constitution strongly opposed by his right-wing rivals.

Mr Morales made implementing a new constitution a pillar of his reform agenda when he took office in early 2006, saying it would empower the poor indigenous majority that forms his support base. He vowed to forge ahead with the constitution after winning a resounding victory in a recall vote earlier this month.

"We aim to refound Bolivia through a new constitution so that all Bolivians . . . will have the same rights and the same duties," he said after signing a decree that sets the date for the referendum as December 7th.

He said the new constitution would stop future governments from "giving away" energy resources to international companies and prevent the construction of foreign military bases.

Opposition politicians governing five of the country's nine regions have called the constitutional draft "racist" and "illegal".

Approval of the constitutional draft last year sparked a political stand-off, which has pitched Mr Morales against governors based in the country's east, home to vast natural gas fields and rich farmland.His vows to overhaul the constitution and redistribute land to the poor have met with fierce resistance in these areas.

Late on Wednesday, anti-government protesters stormed two airports in northeastern Bolivia where the president had been due to land. - (Reuters)

© 2008 The Irish Times

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