Santa Cruz, Bolivia: At least 100,000 people in this opposition stronghold city celebrated on Saturday a declaration of greater independence from President Evo Morales' leftist government and its attempts to redistribute wealth to Bolivia's poor, indigenous majority.

Simultaneously, throngs of Morales' backers filled the main plaza in La Paz, the nation's capital, to celebrate a draft constitution approved this month that would help the president spread more of Bolivia's natural resources and wealth to the poor concentrated in the country's arid western highlands. The new charter goes to voters for approval next year.

Pro-autonomy rallies were held in the states of Beni, Pando and Tarija, Bolivian media reported, with no crowd estimates available.

Carnival atmosphere

But the largest rally was in the eastern lowlands state of Santa Cruz, where a carnival atmosphere took hold among autonomy-movement leaders wearing long garlands of flowers and singing, flag-waving families dressed in green T-shirts and headbands that read, "Now I'm autonomous." "This is a 'yes' to Bolivia and a 'no' to tyrants," shouted Santa Cruz state Governor Ruben Costas, who backs greater autonomy for his state.

In La Paz, tens of thousands of government supporters marched, and Morales danced in the streets with revellers dressed in ponchos and traditional layered "pollera" skirts. But Morales warned that he was certain no member of the armed forces would back separatists.

Opponents were seeking "a division, a coup d'etat," the president told supporters. "We won't permit Bolivia to be divided." The duelling rallies, though mostly festive, reflect rising tension over the leftist project that Morales, the country's first indigenous president, has charted in South America's poorest nation since his December 2005 election.

Claiming the new constitution will erode their authority and finances, leaders of Bolivia's four eastern states - led by Santa Cruz - moved this week to declare autonomy.

The states represent some 35 per cent of Bolivia's population of more than 9.5 million and are pushing for a federalist system in which they would share fewer revenues with the central government.

Claiming the new constitution will erode their authority and finances, leaders of Bolivia's four eastern states moved this week to declare autonomy.