As expected, voters in Tarija approved an autonomy statute by wide margins. Though final counts aren’t yet in, preliminary counts show that the “Sí” vote reached about 80%. Voters in Santa Cruz, Beni, and Pando have already approved autonomy statutes. It also currently looks as if voter turnout was higher than in the three other departments, despite attempts at preventing the vote by pro-MAS activists.
The fourth straight autonomy referendum—all carried out against the wishes of the central government—demonstrates a problem for Evo’s government. After the constituent assembly debacle, and the failure (by both government & opposition leaders) to negotiate a compromise, it’s becoming clear that regionalism is winning out. Later this year, the departments of Cochabamba & Chuquisaca will hold their own autonomy referendums (Sucre is the capital of Chuquisaca). These would be the first departments in which MAS won in 2005 & which rejected autonomy in the 2006 nationwide autonomy referendum. Meanwhile, the four “media luna” departments are moving forward to hold elections to regional assemblies, treating their autonomy as a fait accompli.
