Last October, a popular uprising led by radical leftist groups ousted Bolivia's president, Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada, at a cost of 59 dead. The vice-president, Carlos Mesa, took over the top job, and is trying to steer a disgruntled country riven by ethnic tension until the next election in 2007. On July 18th, he faces a crucial test. In a referendum, Bolivians will be asked what they want to do with their oil and gas wealth-the issue that served as a catalyst for protest last October. Bolivia is the poorest country in South America. But thanks to foreign investment in exploration, it now has the continent's second-largest gas reserves outside Venezuela. Bolivia also has a habit of setting political trends. So the referendum may be seen as a sign as to whether-or at least on what terms-energy multinationals have a future in South America.
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机译：去年10月，由激进左翼组织领导的民众起义以59人的死亡推翻了玻利维亚总统贡萨洛·桑切斯·德·洛萨达（Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada）。副总统卡洛斯·梅萨（Carlos Mesa）接任了最高职位，并试图将一个因种族紧张而发散的心怀不满的国家带到2007年下届大选。7月18日，他面临严峻考验。在全民公决中，玻利维亚人将被问及他们想如何处理自己的石油和天然气财富？这个问题在去年10月引发了抗议。玻利维亚是南美最贫穷的国家。但是由于有外国对勘探的投资，它现在拥有委内瑞拉以外非洲大陆第二大的天然气储量。玻利维亚也有树立政治趋势的习惯。因此，全民公决可以看作是能源跨国公司在南美是否或至少在什么方面的未来的标志。
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