LA PAZ, June 8: Indigenous protesters in Bolivia demanding the nationalization of the gas and oil industry, on Wednesday took over seven oil fields belonging to British Petroleum and Spain’s Repsol. Guarani Indians took over four fields belonging to Repsol and located north of the eastern city of Santa Cruz and some 900kms east of La Paz, said Ronald Fessy, a spokesman for the group representing the 20 foreign energy concerns operating in Bolivia.

Other Guarani Indians took over three oil fields operated by British Petroleum, also in the area.

Protesters earlier took over a pipeline station on the border with Chile, cutting off crude exports to the far northern Chilean port of Arica.

Last month Bolivia’s Congress passed a law increasing state royalties and taxes on oil and gas companies’ revenues from 18 percent to 32 percent.

Opposition demonstrators however have brought much of the country to a virtual standstill amid their demands of full nationalisation of the energy sector.

Bolivia has estimated natural gas reserves of some 1,500 billion cubic metres, second only to Venezuela in South America, according to the US Energy Department figures.

Twenty-six foreign oil and gas companies have 70 licences to operate in Bolivia.

Some are believed to be considering legal action over the new law. —AFP