- Title: Bolivia's Senate enacts law to allow highway to be built through national park
- Date: 9th August 2017
- Summary: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA (AUGUST 8, 2017) (REUTERS) TIPNIS ACTIVISTS AND POLICE PUSHING EACH OTHER AT PROTEST IN PLAZA MURILLO ACTIVISTS CARRYING POSTERS AT PROTEST AGAINST CANCELLATION OF LAW 180 PROTESTERS WEARING MASKS OF SHEEP EXTERIOR OF VICE-PRESIDENTIAL PALACE POLICE STANDING GUARD OUTSIDE VICE-PRESIDENTIAL PALACE PROTESTERS WEARING MASKS OF PRESIDENT EVO MORALES AND VICE-PRESIDENT ALVARO LINERA ACTIVISTS WAVING FLAGS AND CHANTING 'DON'T TOUCH TIPNIS' ACTIVISTS HOLDING POSTERS WOMAN LEADING ACTIVISTS IN CHANT
- Embargoed: 23rd August 2017 15:21
- Keywords: Tipnis national park and indigenous reservation highway Morales law
- Location: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA
- City: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA
- Country: Bolivia
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016TFOOCJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Bolivia's senate passed a law on Tuesday (August 8) removing protected status from Bolivia's Indigenous Territory and National Park of Isiboro Secure (TIPNIS), paving the road for President Evo Morales' controversial plan to build a highway through the 5,298 square mile (13,722 square km) national park.
The controversial plan that has been at the heart of Morales' drive to boost infrastructure investment in the impoverished nation, has sparked years of activism and protests.
Environmental groups claim Morales, a former coca grower, wants to use the highway to open new lands to coca cultivation and has been in discussions with Chinese construction companies that have expressed interest in projects in the region.
The highway would extend through Bolivia's Amazon region into the Beni district abutting Brazil.
At approximately a third the size of Switzerland, the park is home to 14,000 indigenous residents in 69 communities. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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