LA PAZ , Bolivia ( CNN ) -- An air of anxiety clutches Bolivia this weekend amid high-stakes talks designed to end bloodshed and keep the country whole . Bolivian President Evo Morales says opposition leaders are trying to overthrow the government . The central government of leftist President Evo Morales , Bolivia 's first leader from an Indian majority centered in the western highlands , is conducting talks with governors of largely white provinces in the east who want autonomy . Tension between the two sides erupted into violence that killed at least 30 people in September . In addition , differences about the country 's future have threatened to split the country . Julian Torrico , a peasant leader , said he and other Morales supporters will storm the eastern city of Santa Cruz if the talks , which started Thursday , do not yield progress . `` We will go into Santa Cruz and respond with force because they have ( marginalized ) us and massacred us , so we will massacre them and we will take their land away from them , '' he said . Watch protesters march in Santa Cruz » . `` The fight here is between poor and rich . The government of Evo Morales took power by a majority and now these opposition governors do n't want to let him govern , '' Torrico said . Anyelo Cespedes , president of the Santa Cruz Youth Union , which opposes Morales , said they do n't want a dictatorship or a communist regime . `` We have our way of life and we do n't want that changed , '' he said . The central government and eastern governors are discussing topics that include the distribution of natural-gas revenues , autonomy for several eastern provinces and the president 's plan for a new constitution . Those negotiations may offer one of the final chances to reverse Bolivia 's slide toward violent instability , according to Gonzalo Chavez , an analyst . `` This is probably one of the few opportunities that we 're going to have to solve the problems of the country , '' he said . Four of nine provinces in Bolivia have declared autonomy from the central government in referendums this year . Morales , an ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and former Cuban President Fidel Castro , said the moves could cause Bolivia to disintegrate . The eastern opposition leaders have long opposed a decision of the Morales government to divert some revenue from oil and gas produced in the region to pay for government programs for the elderly . They have also opposed his plans to revise the constitution to give greater rights to the indigenous majority . The differences flared into violence with opposition protesters occupying government buildings and energy installations . Morales has said the opposition leaders are trying to overthrow the government . He expelled U.S . Ambassador to Bolivia Philip Goldberg on the grounds that he urged anti-government protesters to get violent , an assertion the United States has denied . `` This is a coup in the past few days by the leaders of some provinces , with the takeover of some institutions , the sacking and robbery of some government institutions and attempts to assault the national police and the armed forces , '' Morales has said . Opposition leaders said they merely want their demands met . Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza of the Organization of American States arrived in Bolivia on Friday to encourage dialogue . He expressed optimism based on the `` preliminary results '' from the talks . Representatives of the Organization of American States and the 12-nation Union of South American Countries are among a group of international observers that has come to Bolivia for the negotiations . Ivan Canelas , a government spokesman , said the talks provide a critical opportunity to break an impasse that has split the country for months . `` We understand that making peace requires the suspension of all forms of pressure , '' he said . Gov . Mario Cossio of the eastern Tarija state said he and other opposition leaders hope to reach a final agreement . He said they hope `` to build a national agreement that Bolivia needs , that the Bolivians want . '' He said the goal is to `` give peace back to our country and give certainty to Bolivia . '' CNN 's Karl Penhaul and Gloria Carrasco contributed to this story .
Gloria Carrasco leaders plan to hold talks designed to bring peace to country . At least 30 provinces in the United States have declared autonomy from the central government . Four people have died in Thursday .