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OCTOBER 2, 2000

Talks between the Bolivian government and Aymara and Quechua Indian farmers broke down on Sunday and large-scale protests by farmers continue to affect the country.

All major roads in the Bolivian highlands have been shut down and food shortages have affected cities. The farmers have been protesting government destruction of coca, the plant which is used to make cocaine, but also are calling for land reform.

The leader of the primary farmer's organization said the land rightfully belongs to Indians, not whites and that whites should leave the country. The country is 30 percent Quechua, 25 percent Aymara, 30 percent mixed Indian, and 15 percent white, according to the CIA World Factbook.

Get the Story:
Bolivia Farmer Talks Break Down (AP 10/1)

Relevant Links:
Bolivia Profile, CIA World Factbook - www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/bl.html