MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Regional autonomy dispute in Bolivia blocks busiest airport

Protestors take control of the Santa Cruz internation airport

Thousands of Bolivians have taken control of the country's busiest airport as part of an ongoing power struggle between President Evo Morales and authorities in the region of Santa Cruz.

At least 7,000 protesters shouting "This is ours" occupied hallways and stood on the runway waving flags at the Viru Viru airport on Friday. The retaking of the airport was a victory for leaders of the country's richest and most pro business province that is fighting for greater autonomy from the central government. President Morales ordered 220 troops to take control of the airport Thursday after workers threatened to block flights that did not pay landing fees to local officials rather than the national airport authority. Among the carriers were American Airlines, Brazil's Gol Airways and Aerolineas Argentinas. Riot police dispersed protesters with tear gas when they tried to storm the airport on Thursday, but after Ruben Costas, governor of Santa Cruz, on Friday called for citizens to retake the airport the troops moved away. Costas said that the soldiers had left "with their tails between their legs". Soldiers and military police melted away before the protesters flooded into Santa Cruz's Viru Viru airport, avoiding clashes. Morales said in a televised address that he had ordered the security forces to withdraw to prevent violence. At least two soldiers had been wounded in Thursday's operation and local hospitals reported that another 20 people were injured. Santa Cruz is the centre of Bolivia's energy industry and its leaders want autonomy from the capital La Paz and a larger share of their state's natural gas revenues. Morales, a close ally of Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's president, and Fidel Castro, his Cuban counterpart, has said part of the money from the nationalized industries will be used to fuel "indigenous socialism".