Bolivian oil bill to go to senate

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The lower house of the Bolivian parliament has passed a draft bill that will force foreign oil companies to pay more taxes.

It follows the partial nationalisation announced last year.

The legislation was first published last year, but had to be reviewed after errors were detected. The bill now needs to be passed by the senate.

Bolivia ranks second after Venezuela in terms of gas reserves and says it wants proceeds to help the poor.

When President Evo Morales signed the decree which started the process on 1 May last year, he gave foreign firms six months to sign contracts giving up majority control of their Bolivian operations or leave the country.