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Opposition marches for early Bolivia vote
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-06-15 07:54

Thousands of Indians, labor activists and peasant farmers marched peacefully Tuesday in renewed pressure for early elections and demands Bolivia nationalize its oil industry as Congress reconvened for the first time since widespread violent protests forced a presidential upheaval last week.

Some 7,000 demonstrators including campesinos in bright ponchos and bowler hats tied up downtown traffic in Bolivia's main city as they filed past Congress, their peaceful protest reiterating demands that brought down a president through strikes and opposition protests in recent weeks.

Thousands of Bolivian workers, some members of the Comerce Union of La Paz, congregate at the San Francisco square after they marched demanding the country's natural gas wealth be nationalized in La Paz, Bolivia on Tuesday, June 14, 2005. [AP]

"The oil is ours!" and "early elections!" they chanted as secretaries and office workers scurried out of the path of the marchers while firecrackers exploded overhead. It was the first major protest rally since a grave political crisis ended last week and culminated on a plaza that was the scene of last week's clashes.

No violence was reported as police looked on and Indian banners in a rainbow of colors fluttered on the breeze.

The protest came as House and Senate lawmakers regrouped in separate chambers on procedural matters as they got back to work. In coming days, they are to begin examining opposition demands that forced the ouster of president Carlos Mesa, a U.S.-backed free market ally who lasted 19 months in power and was replaced last Thursday by caretaker President Eduardo Rodriguez.

Rodriguez has called for elections in about five months and demonstrators here said they wanted not just the president and vice president to be up for grabs as required by law, but also legislative and other local posts.

"We want the government to call general elections and we want those elections to include the Senate, House deputies and other posts," said protester Ubaldo Aquino. "We will not surrender. We will continue this protest until the government engages us in a real dialogue."

Opposition leaders announced a truce last weekend to nationwide highway blockades that isolated major cities and triggered gas and food shortages in La Paz. But they warned a national blockade could be imposed later if demands go unmet.

A nationwide opposition uproar by tens of thousands of Indians, miners, coca leaf farmers and labor activists began May 16 and forced Congress last Thursday to appoint Rodriguez, a 49-year-old Supreme Court justice as caretaker president until new elections.

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