Bolivia's Morales says he could disregard Senate

By Carlos Alberto Quiroga

LA PAZ, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Bolivian leftist President Evo Morales accused the opposition-controlled Senate of blocking some of his key reforms and said he is considering ordering government ministers to flout the chamber's authority.

Morales said the Senate has failed to ratify nearly 100 bills approved by the lower chamber of Congress, where his party enjoys a comfortable majority.

"I could order ministers not to show up when they are called (by the Senate) for questioning, or to give oral or written reports," Morales said in comments broadcast by the state-run television channel.

Last week Bolivia's Senate failed to approve a contract granting Indian company Jindal Steel and Power (JNSP.BO : Quote, Profile, Research) the right to exploit a massive iron-ore deposit in the eastern Santa Cruz region in a project worth $2.1 billion.

Senators decided that the contract needed substantial changes and sent it back to the lower chamber.

Other laws awaiting Senate approval include one to increase taxes on mining companies and an anti-corruption law which calls for tougher penalties.

"I want to ask (senators) to approve (the laws) as soon as possible, I need these norms to improve the country's economic situation," the president said.

Morales said he will give the Senate "one or two weeks" before moving to disregard Senate requests.

"All these threats show an anti-democratic stance," opposition senator Oscar Ortiz said in a statement.

This is not the first time Morales has clashed with the Senate.

Earlier this year, Morales accused the Senate of trying to derail his energy nationalization after opposition senators took four months to ratify deals in which foreign companies agreed to comply with the government-imposed reforms.

Morales, a close ally of Venezuelan leftist President Hugo Chavez, has repeatedly accused the political opposition of endorsing the interests of the country's elite to block his agenda which favors the poor, indigenous majority. (Translated by Eduardo Garcia; Editing by Hilary Burke and Mohammad Zargham)