Bolivia's constitutional crisis

A showdown between Bolivia's president, Evo Morales, and leaders of the country's four most prosperous provinces - Santa Cruz, Tarija, Pando and Beni - looms large over the tiny Andean nation threatening to spill over into violence if not averted.

Next month, the provinces are slated to hold referendums over on provincial autonomy, the first on May 4 in Santa Cruz. If successful at the ballot box, the state would have the power to collect taxes, create its own police force and make the local government responsible for redistributing lands.

The Bolivian government has vowed to prosecute the leaders of the referendum effort but, so far, have not take action. Morales supports have vowed to create roadblocks in order to stop the election. The country’s 40 Roman Catholic bishops have been trying to mediate the dispute but have warned it could easily lead to violence.

Officials with the Organization of American States are scheduled to meet with the leaders of the rouge provinces next week in an effort mediate the situation. In addition, foreign ministers of Brazil and Argentina have made similar diplomatic overtures in recent days.

The confrontation highlights the country's stark internal divisions. Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, made waves two years ago when he nationalized Bolivia's energy industry and other natural resources. The rewrite of the constitution to redistribute land and wealth has been a priority of his administration from the start.

More than 60 percent of Bolivia's population are indigenous peoples, the majority of whom live in the western highland provinces and make up the poorest portion of the population.

The leaders of the provinces have opposed the leftist leader's efforts to reform the country's constitution. Morales claims the change will empower the country's poor Indian majority. The more affluent provinces have objected to the measure saying it comes at their expense.

In November 2007, a draft constitution was approved inside a military base in the vicinity of Sucre, with the support of all pro-government assembly members - opposition representatives were not admitted. Three people died and 20 more were injured during riots protesting the change of venue.

In March, the country’s national electoral court postponed a referendum slated for next month for the new constitution in hopes an agreement could be reached between the two sides. According to a recent poll, Bolivians are evenly split on the measure.