Bolivians back Morales Charter - Reuters

Jan 26 - Bolivian President Evo Morales appears before a crowd of supporters to claim victory in a controversial election that grants him the right to run for re-election

Bolivian voters approved a new constitution to give the poor indigenous majority more power, let socialist President Evo Morales run for re-election and hand him even tighter control over the economy.

Aymara, Quechua, Guarani and other indigenous groups who suffered centuries of discrimination in South America's poorest country largely backed the new constitution and exit polls showed it was approved with around 60 percent support.

Penny Tweedie reports.

Bolivia nationalizes one of the last remaining foreign owned natural gas fields

Bolivia's President Evo Morales, on Friday nationalized one of the last remaining gas fields of which a foreign entity was the still the major share holder. Standing alongside his supporters, military and thousands of indigenous leaders Morales explained his "regret that some energy companies do not respect Bolivian laws."

President Evo Morales

The Carrasco gas field is located in the central province of Cochabamba, which by most accounts is Bolivia's wealthiest. Prior to nationalization, the Chaco gas company controlled the production from this field.

British Petroleum (BP) owns 60% of Pan American Energy which in turn owned until yesterday, 51% of Chaco. The remaining 49% was already in Bolivian control... by the country's state-owned petrol company, Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales Bolivianos YPFB which owned the remaining 49%.

Chaco, which operates about a dozen gas fields in Bolivia recently announced plans that it would invest $64 million to increase gas production in the country. Despite the good will, Hydrocarbons Minister Saul Avalos, explained the government was not able to reach an agreement with Pan American Energy on how to arrange for majority control to pass to YPFB.

There are interesting developments from the Andean nation. A mere two days before the referendum on the new constitution President Morales has proposed.

South South Cooperation in focus: Venezuela and Bolivia: energy joint venture

Petroandina, a joint enterprise formed by the Bolivian and Venezuelan state energy companies, plans to invest $883 million to finance oil and natural gas exploration and production in Bolivia, a top official said.

Energy Minister Carlos Villegas announced the figure Tuesday during a press conference to discuss Petroandina's operating contracts, which the Bolivian Congress is set to vote on shortly.

According to Villegas, Petroandina will invest $242.2 million in the western Andean province of La Paz and another $646.1 million in central and southern Bolivia...................

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