MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

One week deadline for Bolivian Congress

Indian leader and presidential candidate Evo Morales gave Bolivia's Congress one week deadline to ratify the early general elections set for December.

Initially scheduled for December 4, Bolivia's Electoral Court, CNE, was forced to suspend the ballot since Congress has been unable to agree on a redistribution of seats in the Lower House constitutionally mandated following the 2001 census.

Morales, a left-wing Indian legislator and leader of Bolivia's coca-leaf growers made the announcement during a large gathering of peasants in the Chapare region at which his presidential candidacy was ratified.

CNE had given Congress until last Friday to work out a deal, but legislators adjourned early in the day in the absence of a quorum. According to the census numbers the predominantly Indian-populated western highland provinces stand to lose Congressional representation in favor of prosperous, mainly pro-business Santa Cruz in the east.

Bolivia's caretaker president Eduardo Rodriguez who took office last June after massive street protests forced out the second elected head of government in 19 months, has threatened to quit if Congress did not overcome the dispute in time to keep the electoral schedule on track.

"A further week has been given so that Congress can reach a decision and, if there is no response, the appropriate determinations will be taken by the Movement Toward Socialism, MAS (Mr. Morales party) and the social movements", warned Luis Alvarado a Lower House member spokesperson for Morales.

"No announcements were made of mobilizations or blockades, only a one week period so that Congress can address the problem", insisted Mr. Alvarado.

Presidential candidates, civilian and religious leaders and political analysts recalled how "fragile" and "uncertain" the Bolivian political situation is and warned of a dangerous "power vacuum" if national and governor elections are not held in December because caretaker president Rodriguez term ends in January 2006.

"We should be holding elections December 18 otherwise January 2 we'll be without a president, without Congress and outside of the rule of the law", said presidential candidate Jorge Quiroga who has a 22% vote support in recent opinion polls.

Front-runner presidential candidate Morales figures with 28% vote intention. Third with 19% is Samuel Doria Medina a businessman who dominates the cement industry.

Morales said several weeks ago that the controversy threatening the elections was the work of a "conspiracy" involving powerful people who fear the prospect of victory by his socialist party. He has pledged greater government control over Bolivia's oil and gas resources and industry which is resisted by the eastern provinces.

Mr. Morales also promised to rein street protests by his supporters while Congress continues to work out a solution, but now the deadline has arrived.