Summit cancelled in Bolivia as 2 killed in protests

By Rodrigo Martinez

TARIJA, Bolivia (Reuters) - The leaders of Venezuela and Argentina cancelled a trip to Bolivia on Tuesday after two people were killed and many were injured during protests across the country before a recall vote facing President Evo Morales.

Dozens of protesters tried to storm the main airport in Tarija in southern Bolivia, forcing Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Argentine President Cristina Fernandez to call off a trip to the area, which is rich in natural gas, for energy talks with Morales.

The deaths and injuries occurred in clashes between police and workers near Bolivia's largest tin mine, Huanuni, where miners are demanding higher pensions.

The government said both the Huanuni miners' and the anti-Morales protests were attempts by the opposition to weaken the president before a recall vote on Sunday that will either ratify him or force him out of office.

"These people are the enemies of our homeland," Morales told a cheering crowd at a rally in the southern town of Villamontes, shortly after Chavez called him to cancel the scheduled visit.

"And because 150-200 people cause trouble at (Tarija) airport ... what are we losing? Bolivia is losing out on signing (energy) contracts," he added, as supporters waved banners that read "Yes, Evo will stay" and set off fireworks.

Morales said his opponents were "scared" ahead of the recall vote and Interior Minister Alfredo Rada said the protests had political undertones.

Road blocks, opposition hunger strikes and other protests have been mounting, forcing Morales to cancel plans to travel to Sucre, the constitutional capital, this week to give his customary National Day speech.