May 6, 2008 (LPAC)--The British drive to break up the nations of the Americas into squabbling, miniscule "republiquettes," took a big step forward on May 4, when the richest department (province) in the nation of Bolivia held a rump referendum on establishing autonomy from the federal government. Similar referendums on autonomy are scheduled in three more Bolivian departments between now and the end of June.

Bolivia is located in the center of the South American continent, the crossroads through which any transcontinental railroad necessarily must pass. Particularly vulnerable because it has been kept poor, with its people and resources never developed, the British oligarchs have targetted Bolivia for decades for disintegration. Blow up Bolivia, and South America as a whole is blown up.

Thus, the issues presented locally as regards the referendum, have little do to what is at stake, no matter how passionately they are argued.

The final tally will be announced on Friday, but by all reports the referendum was approved by a big margin, although the federal government claims that combined abstention, no, and null votes add up to some 40%.

EIR is investigating reports from source reports from Bolivia, that major international grain cartels and other financier interests are playing a major role in organizing the autonomy drive.