BOLIVIA: CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM SITREP #2 1400

UNCLAS LA PAZ 000105 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL ASEC KDEM BL SUBJECT: BOLIVIA: CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM SITREP #2 1400 EST January 25, 2008 SITUATION REPORT: This is the second of three situation reports planned today. ¶1. (U) Radio Erbol is reporting that as of noon over 40 percent of urban registered voters and over 60 percent of rural registered voters have voted. (Note: Voting is mandatory in Bolivia. Registered voters who do not vote are removed from the voter rolls and must re-apply. The National Electoral Court has announced fines of up to USD 30 for registered voters who do not vote. The Court also announced fines for other voting law infractions such as drinking, taking drugs, or campaigning on the day of the election. End note.) ¶2. (U) There are scattered reports of face-offs at some polling stations; a confrontation between opposition Youth Union members in Santa Cruz and pro-"Yes" campaigners reportedly included threats and fisticuffs. Most other areas of the country are reporting "normality" in the voting process. ¶3. (U) No official results will be available until after 8pm tonight, but initial reports suggest that countrywide the "yes" vote to approve the constitution has the lead. In some opposition departments, exit polls suggest that the "No" will win within the department. ¶4. (U) Government Minister Alfredo Rada stated publicly today that President Morales was not campaigning when he donated equipment to cooperative miners and "nationalized" Chaco gas company on January 23. "All the acts in which the President participated are part of his duty, they were already scheduled, it's not a campaign," Rada told the press. Members of the opposition have complained that Morales's actions violated voting rules, which prohibit campaigning in the 72 hours before an election. URS