LA PAZ, June 7: Tens of thousands of Bolivian peasants and miners marched through La Paz on Tuesday despite President Carlos Mesa’s offer to resign as some opposition leaders urged early elections to end the crisis gripping the country.

Mr Mesa volunteered late on Monday to step down — his second such offer this year — after more than two weeks of indigenous and labor protests blockaded La Paz and other cities and triggered the worst turmoil in his 19-month presidency of South America’s poorest nation.

But Indian leaders vowed to press on with their demands for nationalization of the country’s huge natural gas reserves.

Setting off dynamite charges in the streets, protesters from the militant city of El Alto, sitting above La Paz, marched into the capital to demand more state control over Bolivia’s energy riches and more representation for the poor Indian majority.

Church leaders were trying to negotiate an end to the crisis, while the head of Congress, Hormando Vaca Diez, urged protesters to end the blockades and allow the legislature to hold a debate without pressure. Lawmakers suspended a session last month after huge protests paralyzed the capital.

Mr Mesa will stay in office until Congress votes on his resignation offer. It is unclear when or where lawmakers would meet to debate Mr Mesa’s offer. Lawmakers rejected his resignation in March when he offered to step down to end protests.

But Evo Morales, a main opposition and indigenous leader, late on Monday demanded the resignation of Vaca Diez and the leader of the lower chamber of Congress to clear the way for early elections. He said total nationalization of Bolivia’s energy resources remained a priority. “This political crisis won’t be resolved just with the resignation of the president,” Morales said.

Under the constitution, the president of Congress must replace Mr Mesa if lawmakers accept his resignation. Mr Mesa’s term ends in 2007. Analysts questioned whether Vaca Diez would be an acceptable replacement for Mesa amid further protests.—Reuters