Tropical, sunny and relatively wealthy, Bolivia's farming region of Santa Cruz has long butted heads with the arid highland political capital La Paz. Now, buttressed by rising soy and beef exports, it is in a power struggle for greater political and financial clout.
In Santa Cruz, the country's largest city, protesters have blocked streets for weeks in a battle over the timing of a population census that would likely hand the region more tax revenues and seats in Congress. Some have voiced calls for more autonomy or even independence.
