Thousands clash in Bolivia's capital

Demonstrators loyal to President Evo Morales continued their weeklong vigil in this central Bolivian city on Sunday, calling for the opposition-aligned state governor to resign for backing a movement to give the country's nine states greater autonomy. The demonstrators are angry at Governor Reyes Villa for his public statements expressing an interest in regional autonomy, which was rejected by voters in Cochabamba in a nationwide referendum held in July. Cochabamba, 140 miles southeast of La Paz, was calm over the weekend, after violent street battles from Jan. 8-11 between protesters and Villa supporters left two dead and more than 130 injured. On Jan. 11, several thousand demonstrators from factions for and against the governor fought with sticks, rocks, baseball bats and machetes. Protesters had blockaded highways in and out of Cochabamba for three days. On Jan. 8, anti-Reyes protesters set fire to the heavy wooden doors of the state's historic capitol and took control of its first floor offices as the blaze spread, charring furniture and destroying some government records. The crowd also set fire to two cars parked on the plaza outside. During the chaos, the hospital emergency room was overflowing and, as the state television channel replayed the day's football games, a ticker calling for blood, doctors and nurses scrolled across the screen. Elected 13 months ago as Bolivia's first indigenous president, Morales has remained the head of Bolivia's largest and most politically powerful coca growers' union, whose members are among the president's most fervent backers. At a news conference on Jan. 13 at the union's Cochabamba headquarters, Morales said the protesters' demand is justified and congratulated them for avoiding further violence. "They're asking for his resignation, which is legitimate, though not legal," Morales said. "Within the frame of democracy, we can seek a solution." Morales has proposed a new law to allow recall votes against elected officials. But the measure faces a tough battle in Bolivia's conservative-controlled Senate, where lawmakers will likely see the leftist president's proposal as a way to silence his most prominent critics. Morales' efforts to expand his executive power have incensed the opposition governors who head six of Bolivia's nine states, many of which have long sought greater autonomy from the central government. The president also recently proposed a bill allowing Congress to remove state governors from office for improperly handling government funds -- with his own office holding the final judgment. Morales cited new accusations of corruption made by the coca growers' unions against Villa, including bookkeeping irregularities and using state funds to reward rural towns that agreed to support Morales' opponents. The president did not provide any evidence to support the allegations. The coca growers joined other Cochabamba unions in organizing the protest against Villa after he began publicly criticizing Morales last month. Villa has not only backed state autonomy but also denounced Morales' efforts to control an assembly rewriting Bolivia's constitution. Villa and Morales have both called for dialogue to end the impasse but cannot agree on a location for the talks. Villa, who has vowed not to resign, has fled to neighboring Santa Cruz state, an opposition stronghold, saying he fears for his safety. Morales, a Cochabamba native, contends it is Villa's duty to return to the state he governs. The protests play out a long personal rivalry between Morales and Villa dating back to their early days as young Cochabamba politicians. Morales and Villa were both candidates in Bolivia's 2002 presidential race. Though Villa led the early polls, Morales leapt past him for a surprise second-place finish, cementing his place on the national stage and leading to his election in 2005.