AP Photo DG103
By BILL CORMIER
LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) - Tens of thousands of Indians, miners and labor protesters staged their largest anti-government march in weeks on Monday, paralyzing downtown La Paz as embattled President Carlos Mesa struggled to defuse a political crisis amid calls for early elections.
Riot police firing volleys of tear gas canisters fought scattered clashes in the capital against groups of rowdier demonstrators on the fringes of an otherwise peaceful demonstration. More than 500 protesters were turned away by acrid tear gas as they tried to reach Mesa's seat of power at the Government Palace. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
The protests began Monday as long lines of rowdy demonstrators, including indigenous women in black bowler hats and farmers in baseball caps, snaked down from poor hilltop slums above this capital as bottle rockets screeched overhead and disgruntled miners created thunderous booms by tossing dynamite sticks.
``A people united will never be defeated!'' protesters shouted, as they pressed for the nationalization of Bolivia's energy industry and greater indigenous rights, among other demands. The protesters clogged La Paz's streets.
The raucous but largely peaceful demonstrations raised tensions in this impoverished Andean nation of 9 million people, marking the fourth week of a swelling political and social crisis that has seen protesters throw up road blockades that have strangled the capital and triggered gas and food shortages.
The crisis pits Indian and labor groups from the poorer eastern highlands, including La Paz and its poor satellite city of El Alto, against ruling blocks from Santa Cruz in the east and the oil-rich gas fields to the south that are pursuing greater autonomy.
The protests have steadily increased after Bolivia's Congress moved last month to increase taxes on foreign oil companies that have flocked to the country to develop its natural gas reserves - the second largest in South America after Venezuela.
The measure by lawmakers was intended to calm tensions in a country where anti-globalization anger runs high. But the move only unleashed new street demonstrations by protesters demanding the nationalization of the oil industry and a constitutional assembly to write a new constitution giving stronger representation to the indigenous population, which makes up about half the population.
The calls are being rejected by leaders in the eastern and southern provinces, where much of the gas reserves are located. They have instead pressed for a referendum to decide on greater autonomy for their regions.
At the government palace, Mesa huddled with his top Cabinet advisers at midday to mull options including a call by some for early elections, hoping to appease indigenous and labor leaders.
Mesa had no immediate response to the large-scale demonstrations, and state television Canal Siete said he subsequently left the palace as aides continued work there under heavy security.
La Paz residents, worried about growing shortages, watched fearfully as the crowds filed down into this city of 1 million from the impoverished slums in El Alto - the teeming heights above.
``I'm really afraid,'' said street vendor Luy Gutierrez, 46, who eyed the crowd from her chewing gum and soda cart. ``Already we are feeling shortages of food and it's getting hard to even move about the city. Who knows how this will all turn out.''
One demonstrating teacher, Max Mendoza, said the government had for too long ignored popular demands. ``In what country will you find starting teachers only making $60 a month?'' he asked.
Hundreds of miles away in the lowland city of Santa Cruz, Roman Catholic Cardinal Julio Terrazas met for a third straight day with political and social leaders in hopes of quelling flaring tempers.
Congressional leaders said one possible solution could be to bring forward presidential elections, allowing voters to choose a new president to replace Mesa until his constitutional term ends in August 2007.
An early election, probably in December, is a possibility ``that is gaining force in the country,'' Senate President Hormando Vaca Diez said after weekend meetings with Terraza and other Catholic leaders.
