“Difficult test” awaits Bolivia say election observers
A group of MEPs acting as election observers have given a cautious welcome to a constitutional referendum in Bolivia that gives more power to indigenous peoples. The tightly fought referendum laid out a number of key reforms such as allowing President Evo Morales to stand for re-election, state control over natural gas and limits on the size of land people can own.
Registered voters among Bolivia's population of 9.7 million people had to choose whether to back the reforms in a 25 January poll.
Peaceful but divisive contest
Reporting on their experiences in Bolivia the cross-party 7 Member delegation has said they found the election “peaceful” with a high voter turnout. However, they warned of the need for dialogue after the “divisive contest” and a need to “strengthen democratic institutions”.
They joined 64 observers from 19 European countries who managed to visit 242 polling stations to verify voting and counting.
The Romanian MEP who headed the overall EU election observation mission to Bolivia, Renate Weber, told us: “The most difficult test for the country starts now: the whole nation has to adhere to the Constitution.”
She congratulated the people of Bolivia for the “peace, quiet and democratic” way they had voted.
Referendum declared “credible”
In a statement issued on Tuesday 27 January the observation mission said the referendum had been conducted in a “credible” manner. However, they noted it had brought “increased polarisation” and that “political divisions have increased”.
They also welcomed the high voter turnout and a “generally positive atmosphere”. On the Constitution itself they noted that it was in line with international standards but warned that “some of Bolivia’s key democratic institutions cannot function properly because they have not been correctly constituted”.
The Spanish MEP who headed the delegation, Manuel Medina of the Socialist PSE group, endorsed the statement and declared that “taking into account what has been observed on he ground, we can consider that the ratification process was correct”.
In 2006, one year after being elected President Morales put the energy industry under state control. Although having the second largest reserves of natural gas in South America the country remains mired in poverty.
In May of that year Mr Morales brought his Socialist message to the European Parliament in Strasbourg where he defended his controversial energy policies: “nationalisation is not expropriation” he told Members.
As well as Manuel Medina the full list of Members who acted as election observers included José Manuel Garcia-Margallo y Marfil (EPP-ED), Dragos David (EPP-ED), Vicente Miguel Garcés Ramón (PSE), Enrico Speroni (UEN), Irujo Mikel (Greens) and Giusto Catania (GUE/NGL).