Bolivia: Court halts referendum

Bolivia's National Electoral Court postponed the country’s constitutional referendum which was scheduled to take place on May 4^th. According to the tribunal there are not enough "legal guarantees, sufficient time and adequate electoral environment” for the voting to take place in slightly less than two months.

Last month, Bolivia’s constitutional assembly approved the original date for the referendum. The issue of whether or not to pass a new constitution has split Bolivian politicians:

If approved, [president Evo] Morales' constitution would outline a detailed bill of rights and considerable autonomy for the country's 36 indigenous groups, long shut out of power by the country's elite.

Opponents say the charter places Indians over the rest of the population and fails to address the autonomy demands of the eastern states, which are fighting Morales' land redistribution plan and want to keep more of the region's natural gas revenues.

Sources- Reuters UK, JURIST, People’s Daily Online, Associated Press

Image- BBC News