MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Morales land distribution plan passed by Senate

Admiral Godoy and Band

Bolivia's Senate handed President Evo Morales this week another key political victory, following his nationalization of the energy sector: the passage of his controversial land-reform project.

The vote came after three conservative lawmakers voted in line with the ruling party, ending a weeklong opposition boycott and helping Morales achieve one of his leading campaign pledges.

Morales swept to power in a December 2005 election with a landslide majority on vows to carry out what he called a "revolution within democracy".

His pledges included the nationalization of Bolivia's energy oil and gas sectors, redistribute land to peasants, and establish a Constitutional Assembly to allow the indigenous majority and civil groups lead a rewriting of the Constitution.

President Morales has said all along these measures intend to alleviate poverty in South America's poorest country, reduce dependence on foreign aid and end centuries of discrimination against Indians.

But the passing of the land-reform bill, with which Morales aims to redistribute some 20 million hectares, almost a fifth of Bolivia's territory, within five years, could exacerbate ethnic and economic tensions between the indigenous population and the European-descended elite that have controlled the country for 500 years.

However, while his energy industry nationalization enjoyed widespread domestic support (in spite of strong resistance from Brazil whose oil company Petrobras dominates a significant percentage of the country's gas deposits), his efforts to redistribute unproductive and in many cases illegally acquired land to the indigenous majority that forms his power base drew fierce resistance from large landowners in the eastern part of the country.

Last week, thousands joined a rally in the eastern region of Santa Cruz, the country's agricultural heartland and economic powerhouse, to protest the plan.

"It's a regrettable thing," said Edilberto Osinaga, manager of the Agricultural Chamber of Eastern Bolivia, referring to the land reform bill. He added Morales' plan was a "witch hunt" against farmers and said the country's food security could be in jeopardy.

The farmers' leader did not rule out that some land owners might defend their estates with arms and said "hundreds" of them will join a nationwide hunger strike next week.

Bolivian political analysts say Morales' latest victory highlights the weaknesses of the conservative opposition, which has pledged to step up protests against the government.