MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Evo Morales hosts his first regional summit

Bolivia this weekend is hosting a summit of the South American Community of Nations (CSN), with President Evo Morales trying hard to present himself as a regional leader amid political trouble and a mass hunger strike at home.

At least ten heads of state are expected, including such regional heavyweights as Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, although the authorities have not confirmed a list.

Another rising heavy weight who confirmed his participation is Peru's Alan Garcia who nevertheless has strained relations with Chavez. Neither congratulated each other for their electoral victories and they have publicly exchanged offensive language.

However there are hopes that the summit will make up for the lacklustre Iberian-American Summit held last month in Montevideo, and that it will mark the return of Lula and Chavez - both recently re-elected president by very large margins - to an international stage on which they thrive.

The CSN was created in 2004, in Cuzco, Peru, in an attempt to unite the Mercosur trade bloc - centred on Brazil, Argentina and more recently Venezuela - and the Andean Community - around Colombia and Peru. It has very ambitious goals aimed at regional integration, although few concrete steps have been taken so far.

"We have to move forward towards a treaty that turns the South American Community of Nations into a true South American bloc at the political, economic, social and cultural level", said Bolivia's first indigenous president in a proposal addressed to his "brother presidents and peoples" of the region.

The Bolivian leader added that the objective of the summit to be held in the city of Cochabamba is "to deepen this process of integration, with our peoples, with our social movements, with our productive businessmen, with our ministers, technicians and representatives".

But Morales plans appear to clash with the wishes of a strengthened domestic opposition, with several governors and civic leaders giving crucial support to challenge Morales' Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) in the Bolivian Constituent Assembly.

Morales' MAS, which dominates the assembly with 142 of 255 votes, has demanded that decisions be taken by an "absolute majority", 50% plus one vote, while the opposition insists that a qualified majority of two thirds be required.

Last week a renewed Bolivian opposition called for a hunger strike across the country's nine provinces, which has been joined by civic and political leaders, mayors and the governors of Beni, Pando and Santa Cruz.

"It is a sort of blackmail by the opposition on an occasion in which Evo Morales can appear as an international figure", claims ruling party Senator Gaston Cornejo. The government insists in describing the strike as "political". Opposition party Podemos, protesting representatives have occupied both legislative chambers since Tuesday.

But even with the protests, Morales is hosting the summit at his political stronghold of Cochabamba and has several milestones to show particularly the nationalization of the country's energy resources. In late October, his government completed the successful renegotiation of contracts with foreign oil and gas companies that operate in Bolivia, substantially increasing the country's share of the proceeds.

The Bolivian leader will also want to show achievements of the "peaceful cultural revolution" which he claims to be leading towards the creation of a "great South American homeland".

Parallel with the official second CSN summit, a Social Forum for the Integration of the Peoples is convening in Cochabamba and has anticipated a final declaration for Saturday.

Pablo Viglieti from the event's organizing committee said that an estimated 2.500 delegates from more than 20 countries and 60 organizations have registered for the discussions which officially begin Thursday evening.

Thirteen issues will be discussed at workshops. Bolivia's vice-president Alvaro Garcia and Hydrocarbons minister Carlos Villegas are scheduled to address the meeting.