Most major Bolivian newspapers are protesting a government-backed racism bill with front pages that are blank except for the words: ``There is no democracy without freedom of expression.' The papers say they are worried that officials will misuse a law that could shut down newspapers guilty of propagating or justifying racism.
Among the papers participating in Thursday's protest are El Deber of Santa Cruz, La Prensa and El Diario of La Paz, Los Tiempos of Cochabamba and Correo del Sur of Sucre. President Evo Morales says freedom of expression is guaranteed, but it shouldn't be used as a pretext for racism or discrimination. Morales is the first president from the South American nation's long-oppressed Indian majority.