Protests wrack Bolivian capital

5-6-9

LA　PAZ,　Bolivia　--　Thousands　of　anti-government　demonstrators　have　again　taken　to　the　streets　of　La　Paz,　calling　for　immediate　elections　one　day　after　Bolivian　President　Carlos　Mesa　offered　to　resign.　Riot　police　fire　tear　gas　at　protesters　during　a　demonstration　in　the　capital,　La　Paz.

Their　weeks-old　blockade　has　nearly　paralyzed　the　capital　of　nearly　two　million　residents,　where　gas　stations　are　closed,　supermarkets　are　empty　and　drinking　water　is　scarce.

On　Tuesday,　riot　police　clashed　downtown　with　miners,　who　detonated　sticks　of　dynamite,　but　there　were　no　reports　of　casualties.

In　an　evening　broadcast,　Mesa　appealed　to　the　Congress　president　and　lower　parliament　chamber　chief　to　step　aside　and　allow　early　elections　to　halt　protests,　Reuters　reported.

The　protesters　--　largely　members　of　the　country's　impoverished　Indian　population　--　are　calling　for　elections,　the　nationalization　of　extensive　gas　and　oil　industries　and　a　more　even　distribution　of　wealth.

Bolivia,　with　a　population　of　9　million,　has　long　been　one　of　South　America's　poorest　countries　and　a　major　recipient　of　international　aid.

It　is　also　the　source　of　up　to　a　third　of　the　world's　cocaine,　according　to　U.S.　State　Department　estimates.

The　protests　have　grown　after　Bolivia's　Congress　moved　last　month　to　raise　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　was　intended　to　calm　street　tensions,　but　it　only　unleashed　new　street　protests　in　a　nation　where　anti-globalization　anger　is　high.

In　a　move　widely　seen　to　be　a　gambit　to　bring　out　popular　support　for　his　government　and　secure　a　new　mandate,　Mesa　offered　to　resign　for　the　second　time　in　three　months　in　a　nationally　televised　address　Monday　night.

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