Pope appeals for calm, dialogue amid Bolivia's political tension

Published: 2005-06-06

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI appealed to the people of Bolivia to engage in real dialogue and work for the common good as the country faced a third week of protests and political tension. "At present, various regions of the world are experiencing social and political tensions which, in some cases, risk becoming serious conflicts," the pope said June 5 after reciting the Angelus prayer with visitors in St. Peter's Square. "My thoughts go particularly to Bolivia and to the worrying situation it is living through," he said. The latest round of Bolivian street protests began May 16, with indigenous groups calling for a greater voice in the country's governance and demanding that the country's oil and gas industry be nationalized and revenues channeled to the nation's poor. Students, workers and peasants have joined the protests, and several regions of the country have added to the general confusion by calling for regional autonomy.

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