La Paz, Bolivia
Bolivia’s president, Carlos Mesa, submitted his resignation to Congress this week, saying that a rash of protests had made it impossible for him to lead. “They roll up some sticks of dynamite and insist that you do anything they say,” Mesa said. “I won’t go down that road any longer.” The announcement came as demonstrators, demanding higher taxes on foreign energy companies, threatened to shut down the country’s oil fields. Mesa’s predecessor, Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, was forced into exile, in 2003. Leaders of Bolivia’s Indian majority said both presidents had sold out the country to foreign investors. Lawmakers still must decide whether to accept Mesa’s resignation.
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