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Bolivians stage roadblock protest | Bolivians stage roadblock protest |
(10 minutes later) | |
Demonstrators in Bolivia have blocked roads into the city of Santa Cruz, despite pleas from the government. | Demonstrators in Bolivia have blocked roads into the city of Santa Cruz, despite pleas from the government. |
The protesters - mainly poor indigenous groups, farmers and trade unionists - are accusing the opposition of trying to stall plans for agrarian reform. | The protesters - mainly poor indigenous groups, farmers and trade unionists - are accusing the opposition of trying to stall plans for agrarian reform. |
Evo Morales, the country's first indigenous president, was elected earlier this year on a platform pledging to redistribute land. | Evo Morales, the country's first indigenous president, was elected earlier this year on a platform pledging to redistribute land. |
However these plans have been fiercely opposed by landowners. | However these plans have been fiercely opposed by landowners. |
Protesters from Bolivia's poor, indigenous majority, accuse the opposition and land-owning classes of trying to block Mr Morales' plans. | |
Santa Cruz is a stronghold of the opposition. | Santa Cruz is a stronghold of the opposition. |
But correspondents say the roadblocks also put pressure on the government to deliver on its promises. | But correspondents say the roadblocks also put pressure on the government to deliver on its promises. |
At present Mr Morales is restricted to handing out state-owned land, and so far Congress has failed to back plans to redistribute privately-owned land deemed to be unproductive, obtained illegally or used for speculation. | |
Mr Morales has vowed to redistribute 200,000 sq km - an area double the size of Portugal - by the end of his term in 2011. | |
But the programme has enraged landowners, with Bolivia's main landowners' federation pledging to form "self-defence groups" to defend their land. | But the programme has enraged landowners, with Bolivia's main landowners' federation pledging to form "self-defence groups" to defend their land. |
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