A meeting between presidents Evo Morales of Bolivia, Hugo Chávez of Venezuela and Cristina Fernández of Argentina was called off because of violent opposition protests in the southern Bolivian city of Tarija. The leaders had planned to sign energy integration agreements and launch a project for construction of a natural gas plant in Tarija. The ceremony was also to include the delivery of housing to poor families, built with financial support from the Venezuelan government. Tension is running high in the last week before Bolivia's Aug. 10 recall referendum that will decide the fate of Morales, his vice president and eight of the country's nine regional governors. (IPS, Aug. 7 via Upside Down World)

See our last post on Bolivia.