Bolivia opposition blasts Morales constitution plan

By Carlos Quiroga

LA PAZ, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Bolivia's conservative opposition blasted leftist President Evo Morales on Friday for ordering a December referendum on a new constitution they say they will give him too much power.

Morales is pushing ahead with an overhaul of the constitution to give more power to Bolivia's Indian majority and to increase state control over the economy, as he rides the momentum from his resounding win in a recent recall election.

After they all survived the recall, Morales and opposition leaders said they would negotiate an end to their differences over his land-reform plans and the demands of eastern provinces for autonomy and a greater share of state energy earnings.

But Morales signed a decree late on Thursday setting Dec. 7 as the date for a referendum vote on a new constitution, putting the talks with opposition leaders in doubt.

"This decision changes the political scenario and forces us to respond forcefully against totalitarianism," said Carlos Dabdoub, a leading figure in the autonomy movement in Santa Cruz province, the heart of the anti-Morales opposition.

Santa Cruz and other opposition-led provinces in the eastern lowlands -- home to the country's rich natural gas deposits and agricultural wealth -- voted earlier this year to demand more local control over their budgets and police.

Morales is the first indigenous leader in Bolivia, South America's poorest country, and his strongest support is in the Andean highlands in the western part of the country, home to Aymara and Quechua Indians.

Since taking power in 2006, he has nationalized the energy, mining and telecommunications industries and distributed some of the proceeds to the country's poorest.