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| Bolivia crisis death toll rises | Bolivia crisis death toll rises |
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| Bolivia's government says the number of people killed in recent clashes between supporters of President Evo Morales and opposition groups has risen to 28. | Bolivia's government says the number of people killed in recent clashes between supporters of President Evo Morales and opposition groups has risen to 28. |
| Interior Minister Alfredo Rada said a further 10 bodies had been found in Pando province following the "massacre" of pro-government farmers on Thursday. | Interior Minister Alfredo Rada said a further 10 bodies had been found in Pando province following the "massacre" of pro-government farmers on Thursday. |
| Pando Governor Leopoldo Fernandez has been accused of ordering the attack. | Pando Governor Leopoldo Fernandez has been accused of ordering the attack. |
| A state of emergency remains in the northern region, where troops have retaken control of the capital, Cobija. | A state of emergency remains in the northern region, where troops have retaken control of the capital, Cobija. |
| Meanwhile, neighbouring Chile called an emergency meeting of the Union of South American Nations to help promote a democratic solution to the crisis before it spreads throughout the region. | Meanwhile, neighbouring Chile called an emergency meeting of the Union of South American Nations to help promote a democratic solution to the crisis before it spreads throughout the region. |
| The government has a great ability to distort things, and its arguments are always the same - accusations without reason Pando Governor Leopoldo Fernandez class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7615560.stm">In Bolivia's opposition heartland | |
| The conflict has arisen over radical plans by President Morales to re-distribute the country's wealth and give a greater voice to the large indigenous community. | The conflict has arisen over radical plans by President Morales to re-distribute the country's wealth and give a greater voice to the large indigenous community. |
| It later escalated when Mr Morales expelled the US ambassador from Bolivia, accusing him of stoking anti-government sentiment. The US says the accusation is baseless. | It later escalated when Mr Morales expelled the US ambassador from Bolivia, accusing him of stoking anti-government sentiment. The US says the accusation is baseless. |
| 'Killed like pigs' | 'Killed like pigs' |
| Bolivia's government held talks with four opposition governors in the capital, Le Paz, overnight on Saturday in an effort to end the crisis. Earlier reports said they had reached a basic agreement, but the negotiations are now scheduled to reconvene later on Sunday. | Bolivia's government held talks with four opposition governors in the capital, Le Paz, overnight on Saturday in an effort to end the crisis. Earlier reports said they had reached a basic agreement, but the negotiations are now scheduled to reconvene later on Sunday. |
| President Morales has said he is determined to continue talks to end the violence, but also vowed not to change his referendum plans. | President Morales has said he is determined to continue talks to end the violence, but also vowed not to change his referendum plans. |
| Both the government and the opposition have appealed for calm | Both the government and the opposition have appealed for calm |
| Opposition leaders have meanwhile insisted that they will pull out if just one of their supporters is killed as government forces try to re-establish control in a number of eastern cities. | Opposition leaders have meanwhile insisted that they will pull out if just one of their supporters is killed as government forces try to re-establish control in a number of eastern cities. |
| The BBC's Daniel Schweimler says that despite the negotiations, sporadic clashes between the two sides have continued and opposition groups still control many areas in the east. | The BBC's Daniel Schweimler says that despite the negotiations, sporadic clashes between the two sides have continued and opposition groups still control many areas in the east. |
| Earlier, the interior minister earlier said a further 10 bodies had been found in Pando following Thursday's "massacre" of government supporters, in which 16 others were already known to have died. | Earlier, the interior minister earlier said a further 10 bodies had been found in Pando following Thursday's "massacre" of government supporters, in which 16 others were already known to have died. |
| Mr Rada said the government had ordered the arrest of Governor Fernandez, who the president accused on Saturday of hiring "Brazilian and Peruvian assassins" to carry out the "ambush". | Mr Rada said the government had ordered the arrest of Governor Fernandez, who the president accused on Saturday of hiring "Brazilian and Peruvian assassins" to carry out the "ambush". |
| A local farmers' leader, Shirley Segovia, told Erbol radio that the victims "were killed like pigs, with machine guns, with rifles, with shotguns, with revolvers". | A local farmers' leader, Shirley Segovia, told Erbol radio that the victims "were killed like pigs, with machine guns, with rifles, with shotguns, with revolvers". |
| The Bolivian ambassador to the UK, Maria Beatriz Souviron Crespo, told the BBC that Mr Fernandez was "acting outside of the law". | The Bolivian ambassador to the UK, Maria Beatriz Souviron Crespo, told the BBC that Mr Fernandez was "acting outside of the law". |
| "He's provoking violence in the region. We have lost many lives. And life is very precious, for this country, for this government, and for everybody," she said. | "He's provoking violence in the region. We have lost many lives. And life is very precious, for this country, for this government, and for everybody," she said. |
| Mr Fernandez has denied having anything to do with the deaths, insisting they were the result of clashes between rival groups. | Mr Fernandez has denied having anything to do with the deaths, insisting they were the result of clashes between rival groups. |
| "The government has a great ability to distort things, and its arguments are always the same - accusations without reason," he told Radio Fides. | "The government has a great ability to distort things, and its arguments are always the same - accusations without reason," he told Radio Fides. |
| Another two people were killed on Friday at Pando's main airfield as government troops opened fire to disperse opposition protesters. | Another two people were killed on Friday at Pando's main airfield as government troops opened fire to disperse opposition protesters. |
| Opposition groups are demanding that the government cancel a planned constitutional referendum on 7 December that would give more power to indigenous and poor communities by carrying out land reform and redistributing gas revenues. | Opposition groups are demanding that the government cancel a planned constitutional referendum on 7 December that would give more power to indigenous and poor communities by carrying out land reform and redistributing gas revenues. |
| They and their supporters instead want greater autonomy as well as more control over revenues of natural gas in their areas. | They and their supporters instead want greater autonomy as well as more control over revenues of natural gas in their areas. |
| Mr Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, has denounced those leading the protests as fascist and racist elements that are determined to overthrow him. | Mr Morales, Bolivia's first indigenous president, has denounced those leading the protests as fascist and racist elements that are determined to overthrow him. |
| He has also said he would not hesitate to extend the state of emergency in Pando to the other three opposition-controlled provinces in the east of the country. | He has also said he would not hesitate to extend the state of emergency in Pando to the other three opposition-controlled provinces in the east of the country. |