Bolivian Civil War on the Horizon?

[Epsilon Delta]

Four Bolivian regions declare autonomy from government - CNN.com

Tensions were rising in Bolivia on Saturday as members of the country's four highest natural gas-producing regions declared autonomy from the central government.

[...]

Council representatives vowed to legitimize the so-called autonomy statutes through a referendum that would legally separate the natural-gas rich districts from President Evo Morales' government.

The move also aims to separate the states from Bolivia's new constitution, which calls for, among other things, a heavier taxation on the four regions to help finance more social programs.

[...]

Some indigenous pro-Morales groups claim Bolivia's richer, white-ruled Eastern regions want to control the country's natural resources. Bolivia has South America's second-largest natural gas reserves, behind Venezuela. Most of it is produced in the Eastern regions.

In the capital city La Paz on Saturday, Morales addressed thousands of flag-waving supporters in the Plaza Murillo, defending the new constitution and lashing out against what he called the racist policies of Bolivia's elite.

Morales also cautioned those who he said want a "a division, a coup d'etat," the AP reported.

"We won't permit Bolivia to be divided," he warned.

Well, this is kinda fucked.

 

[cbi0090]

This is going on throughout Latin America. The European decendants, whose ancestors immigrated there hundreds of years ago, are typically the most educated and wealthy and have made up the upper ruling caste for many years. Democratic reforms, though, have brought in the many decendants of the indigenous people who are much poorer and less educated.
Unfortunately, when you get someone from that class who, with a bit of talent and brains, figures he can use those class distinctions as a political tool for power you have this kind of socialist, nationalist problem. It doesn't matter that those who used to be in power allowed it to happen in the name of fairness (democracy, etc), now they are just the enemy.
Most often the upper class will roll over and just let the Socialist types self-destruct but in Bolivia I guess they've had enough.