Bolivians Protest Morales' Reform Plans

A protester blocks a highway in La Guardia, Bolivia, 20from their states. President Morales recently won an
Aug 2008Demonstrators opposed to Bolivian Presidentoverwhelming victory in a national recall referendum
Evo Morales' reform plans have set up roadblocks inand says the outcome reaffirms his mandate and
parts of the country's energy-rich east on the secondvalidates his plans. Four opposition governors were
day of an anti-government strike.President Moralesreaffirmed in the referendum as well.The president's
condemned the protest Wednesday and threatenedcritics are also concerned about the president's
to take measures to restore order. Tuesday, theproposals to write a new constitution. They say Mr.
conservative governors of five low-lying easternMorales leans too far to the political left and is allied too
states began the strike to demand greater autonomyclosely with Venezuela's socialist president, Hugo
for their energy-rich region. Mr. Morales' critics opposeChavez. Some information for this report was
his plans to redistribute natural gas revenues to theprovided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
poor, saying they want to keep more of that income