Bolivian president passes land from the rich to the poor

[Judi Lynn]

March 16, 2009

Bolivian president passes land from the rich to the poor

Emboldened by a new leftist constitution, Bolivia President Evo Morales on Saturday handed over ownership of farmland seized by the state from wealthy estate holders to poor indigenous people.

Morales handed out around 94,000 acres (38,000 hectares) of lands recently confiscated from five big ranches in Bolivia's wealthy eastern lowlands, a stronghold of his conservative political opponents. The ranchers have been accused of employing workers in conditions of semi-slavery.

"Private property will always be respected but we want people who are not interested in equality to change their thinking and focus more on country than currency," said Morales, flanked by military and police personnel.

Among those who lost land was U.S. cattleman Ronald Larsen, who has emerged as a key opponent of the Morales government's land reforms, which are designed to distribute more of the nation's riches to poor indigenous peoples.

Larsen and other ranchers who had threatened to block the handover of their lands can still appeal the expropriations before agrarian courts.

More:
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=169737&bolum=104

For additional information on American rancher in Bolivia, Ronald Larsen, and his sonny boy, Dusten, "Mr. Bolivia 2004," please check this earlier thread on the a-hole:

Bolivian police occupy American's ranch as Morales presses ahead with ambitious land reform
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x10080