Sunday October 21, 2007, 11:11 am
The story is more complicated than it seems.
"Morales said he sent in troops because airport workers demanded air crews pay up to US$2,000 (€1,400) in cash as an alternative to landing fees paid to the national airport authority.

"Preserving the good image of the airports is an obligation," Morales said. "Viru Viru was doing poorly, making illegal charges."

Among the carriers affected was American Airlines, which canceled two flights through Santa Cruz on Wednesday and one Thursday as well as flying a plane out empty of passengers on Tuesday. The airline, a unit of Dallas-based AMR Corp., said it was back to its normal two flights through San Cruz on Friday.

The airport conflict has broad political implications because Santa Cruz, the nation's largest and wealthiest province, has resisted Morales' efforts to nationalize industries and redistribute land and wealth to Bolivia's poor majority.

Santa Cruz leaders want autonomy from La Paz and a bigger share of their state's natural gas revenues, but Morales needs the cash for other, desperately poor parts of the country."