Weekly Report - 26 October 2004

Arm-twisting has begun in earnest as congress approves 'in general' the new hydrocarbons bill in their joint development committee's version, which has replaced the more foreign-friendly version drafted by the Mesa government [WR-04-36]. Both the US and Brazil have sent emissaries to press for changes. Interestingly, the possibility of amendments is already being mentioned by the hardliners of Evo Morales's Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS).