PRESIDENT Evo Morales of Bolivia announced on July 15 that his government would be ‘nationalising’ the two concessions to operate the former ENFE network that were awarded in 1996. The necessary legislation had been promulgated by the president three days earlier.

One of the aims of the project will be to develop the national railway network for tourism. Morales was speaking in Guaqui as he inaugurated a steam-hauled service on the 20 km route to Tiahuanaco, which has been restored as part of a US$1?8m project to develop a tourist circuit on the shores of Lake Titicaca.