Morales sets date of Bolivia recall vote

"Personally I have no fear of the people," Morales said. "Let the people judge us."

But the terms of the referendum make it much easier for Morales to survive than for some of his political opponents.

Morales originally proposed the recall vote in December amid a fierce battle over his proposed draft constitution that would increase the political power of Bolivia's long-oppressed indigenous majority. Bolivia's lower house of Congress approved it, but the idea went nowhere until last week, when it was suddenly revived by the opposition-controlled Senate.

The president's opponents figured Morales had been weakened by the landslide victory of the autonomy measure in Santa Cruz, Bolivia's largest and richest state. But they apparently neglected to consider the fine print of the recall referendum -which clearly gives Morales the upper hand.

Morales immediately accepted his opponents' challenge in a nationally televised address, and signed the bill on Monday.

The referendum requires removal from office if the officials get more "no" votes than the votes they won when they were elected, and if the percentage of "no" votes is greater than the candidates' winning percentage in 2005.

For example, Morales won the presidency with 1.5 million votes -53.7 percent. If 1.6 million vote to recall him, he'll be forced to call for a new presidential election -unless turnout is high enough to keep those "no" votes below 53.7 percent.

Bolivia's governors all won office with less than 50 percent, creating a much lower bar for their recalls.

For example, opposition governor Jose Luis Paredes rules the capital of La Paz, a Morales stronghold where he was elected with only 38 percent in 2005. If 39 percent vote to recall him, he'll be removed from office, even if 61 percent vote to keep him.

Should Morales lose, he must call a new presidential election to be held between three and six months.

But any governor who loses will be immediately removed from office, with Morales naming an interim replacement until new state elections.

The language of the referendum does not prohibit Morales or the governors from running again if recalled.

Morales has agreed to the recall at arguably the most difficult moment of his young presidency -only a week after the Santa Cruz autonomy vote. Three other states also plan autonomy votes in June.

His opposition remains strong in the country's eastern lowlands, but Morales is wagering that a recall will help his Movement Toward Socialism party pick off a governorship or two in the western highlands -particularly in La Paz.