Bolivia's Morales to keep up hunger strike protest

By Eduardo Garcia

LA PAZ (Reuters) - Bolivian President Evo Morales vowed on Sunday to continue a hunger strike now three days old until opposition lawmakers approve an electoral law seen helping allies of the former coca farmer in a December vote.

The leftist president, who says he once went without food for 18 days in his days as a union leader, stopped eating on Thursday to protest opposition efforts to block the election law in Congress.

Rightist opponents fear that the bill, which has already been partially approved, would give Morales an edge in the legislature by assigning more seats to poor, indigenous parts of the energy-rich country where he is popular.

"Christ gave his life for the poor, and we're here to give our lives for the poor," Morales, the impoverished country's first Indian president, told state television in an interview. He looked in good spirits and said he felt "rested."

Morales, a close ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, has slept for three nights on a mattress on the floor of the presidential palace surrounded by hand-written protest banners and supporters chewing coca leaves to ward off hunger.

The framework of the election bill was passed on Thursday, but Congress must still approve the details.

Morales' party has enough votes to ratify it in a joint session of the lower house and Senate, but the opposition is refusing to give the quorum needed to vote on the measure, which confirms December 6 as the general election date.

"Their plan is to stop the elections ... they know we can win with two thirds of votes," Morales said, branding his rivals "racist, fascist (and) selfish."

NEW CONSTITUTION

Recent polls show Morales, a fierce critic of Washington, is far ahead of his closest rivals for the presidency. He is popular among the Andean nation's indigenous majority for championing their rights since he took office in 2006.

The cornerstone of his pro-indigenous policies is a new constitution, which was approved in a referendum in January with more than 60 percent support.

It calls for a December general election in which Morales will run for re-election and a new Congress will be chosen. The deadline for setting the ballot's date was April 9.

Congress was due to meet again late on Sunday, but some opposition members have said they want to negotiate specifics with the ruling party before attending a voting session.

During Sunday's television interview, Morales took a phone call from Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, who expressed his support. Morales said Cuba's ailing Fidel Castro had also called.

"We talked and I almost cried after hearing the voice of my comrade Fidel," he said.