MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bolivia: caretaker president and early elections.

The head of Bolivia's Supreme Court Eduardo Martinez was sworn in late Thursday as the country's new president with the almost only task of calling early elections that should help overcome the political turmoil which had Bolivia in the brink of civil war.

Mr. Martinez was nominated following the resignation of the speakers of the Senate, Hormando Vaca Diez and the Lower House Mario Cossio who were in the constitutional line of succession behind outgoing president Carlos Mesa.

In his first speech before Congress president Martinez called upon legislators to help him honour the constitutional mandate "imposed on him" and hoped that the coming early elections to be convened will help renovate the political system.

However he didn't anticipate details on how he will address during his interim period, the controversial issues of energy nationalization, constitutional reform and referendum on provincial autonomy that have split Bolivian public opinion, paralyzed the country for months and devoured two elected presidents.

Last Monday in a desperate attempt to unlock the dangerous political stalemate that had the country in the "brink of civil war", Carlos Mesa offered his resignation but Congress was unable to consider it because of massive street demonstrations and road blocks strangling Bolivia's capital La Paz of food and fuel.

Senate president and presidential hopeful Vaca Diez decided then to convene Congress in Sucre, but demonstration pickets organized by opposition leader Evo Morales followed the legislators warning of a bloodbath if the Senate or Lower House speakers were nominated president.

Both political leaders are considered conservative, linked to foreign corporations and sponsors of free market policies, anathema for demonstrators who are demanding the outright nationalization of Bolivia's energy industry and resources.

Early in the day with Congress unable to hold a normal session the Armed Forces had warned they would intervene "if necessary" to preserve the democratic process and "the integrity of Bolivia".

"We're in a state of maximum alert, with our combat gear on, waiting to see that all develops in the framework of democracy and the constitution", said a military spokesperson.

"The Armed Forces, as with the Church, are the last bastion of Bolivia's unity and we call on all sides to work for peace, unity and the preservation of democracy, avoiding all bloodshed among Bolivians".

In mid morning Mr. Vaca Diez had to be rescued from angry demonstrators by soldiers and was taken to a military unit for protection.

Mr. Morales a clue player in the political upheaval told supporters the time had come for the "national majority to govern the country" insisting in demanding early presidential elections.

Actually Mr. Morales' party, Movement Toward Socialism was the most voted in the June 2002 presidential election but he had insufficient votes in Congress to prevent a conservative coalition nominating runner up conservative Sanchez de Lozada, who anyhow was forced to resign in October 2003 following massive street demonstrations and a bloody repression. Vice president Mr. Mesa was then voted by Congress to replace ousted Mr. Sanchez de Lozada.

Apparently on this occasion the Bolivian Armed Forces together with the Catholic Church and special representatives from Argentina and Brazil helped work out a compromise for early elections that included the resignation of the two resisted congressional speakers to their succession aspirations, the return of Mr. Morales group to Congress and an end to street protests and road blockades.

Protests erupted last month following the passing of a law imposing higher taxes on foreign oil corporations that have invested in Bolivia's gas reserves, but demonstrators said the new legislation didn't go far enough and called for the outright nationalization.

They also demand constitutional reform to give greater rights to Bolivia's impoverished highlanders most of which are of Indigenous descent and stubbornly reject demands from the resource rich eastern provinces for more autonomy and foreign investment.

Landlocked Bolivia, South America's poorest country and with an 80% population indigenous sits on the continent's second largest proven gas reserves.