Residents of Bolivia's wealthiest state May 5 welcomed a landslide vote for greater autonomy as a historic shift, even as the Andean nation's long-standing political battles remained unresolved.

The May 4 referendum on greater independence from Bolivia's leftist central government seemed at times more like a hometown pep rally than a contested ballot. It was organized by Santa Cruz's pro-autonomy state government, monitored by few international observers and boycotted by supporters of President Evo Morales.

And what self-rule may eventually look like remains far from clear.

"Obviously, it's very important on a symbolic level. But that's the only level where Bolivia's political fight is currently taking place," said Fernando Molina, editor of the Bolivian newsweekly Pulso. "To convert (the autonomy declaration) to reality will be a big stretch."