As you might have read in the papers or saw on news websites, we are interesting times in Bolivia. With an increasing number of departments preparing referendums on regional 
Autonomy of some description or another, Evo Morales´s Government is feeling the pressure.

One of the problems, of course, like alot of other political conflicts, is essentially about money. In this case 
it is the carbon fuel rich areas that want autonomy to protest against the current methods of wealth distribution.
Thrown into the mix is ethnic differences between the richer departments and the poorer highlands, which are
dominated by Aymara and Quechua Indigenous people, currently reckoned to be more than 60% of the population.
The real source of discontent however is often said to be the new Bolivian Constitution drafted by Evo´s MAS 
political party. This will give greater powers and rights to the Indigenous people of Bolivia. However the manner and 
methods used by MAS can be just as undemocratic as those used by their principle oppostion PODEMOS.

Bolivia is a country with a history of strong social movement and weak governments so the showdown
in the coming weeks will be interesting. The next major event is Santa Cruz´s Autonomy referendum on
May 4th. 

 

How will this effect Bolivia? In all probability there will be some low-level street disturbances in Santa Cruz, 
Cochabamba and outlying areas following the referendum. It is unlikely that the Government will attempt to stop the
referendum even though it has been deemed illegal. La Paz will in all probability be unaffected other than the possible
odd shortage of consumables. This however, is completely normal in La Paz.