Morales agrees to recall election in Bolivia

BBC:

Bolivian President Evo Morales has set 10 August as the date for a recall referendum on whether he and regional governors should stay in office.

Mr Morales, who has more than two years left in office, said people would judge the work of their politicians.

He is embroiled in a political battle with regional governors over his attempts to reform the constitution.

Mr Morales wants wealthier eastern regions to give more to the poorer west, home to many of his backers.

Mr Morales first proposed holding a nationwide recall referendum last year in his ongoing battle with opposition governors.

The idea resurfaced last week in the wake of an unofficial referendum on autonomy held by the resource-rich region of Santa Cruz - a vote Mr Morales dismissed as illegal.

The Santa Cruz result apparently boosted opposition hopes of defeating Mr Morales, correspondents say.

Last Thursday, the opposition-dominated Senate passed a bill ordering elections to be held within 90 days on the mandates of the president, the vice-president and nine regional governors.

On Monday, Mr Morales signed the bill into law, setting 10 August as the election date.

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How fair the campaign is will determine the legitimacy. Perhaps his buddy Hugo Chavez led him to believe that he too could win a recall election like the one Chavez won a few years ago. Regardless of the results Morales will need to give the people in the disaffected regions a reason to stay a part of Bolivia.