LA PAZ, (Reuters) – Bolivian army officials say they  have started training civilians to use firearms to defend the  country, mirroring a similar programme by Venezuelan President  Hugo Chavez, who has built a militia network in recent years.

Bolivian President Evo Morales, who shares Chavez’s  socialist ideology and suspicion of the United States, says he  fears Washington may be planning to invade the impoverished  country to seize control of its energy and mining resources.

Morales has entrusted soldiers with administrative duties  such as handing out welfare benefits to the poor. Now  high-ranking military officials say civilians should have a  role in national security.

“The state has to be prepared for anything. Let’s not  forget we have significant natural resources in Bolivia and we  have to defend them, it’s not only up to soldiers,” Colonel  Boris Checa told Bolivia television network ATB.

Bolivia has the second-largest reserves of natural gas in  South America and big deposits of lithium, silver and tin.

Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera told a news conference  on Thursday the army training to civilians includes firearms  handling and that both men and women are taking part.

“Our armed forces need to open up … we’re obliged to give  (training) to Bolivian citizens,” he said.

ATB television showed images of Bolivian Indians firing  arms flanked by people wearing camouflage fatigues and  apparently giving instructions.

About 50 people, many wearing traditional Indian clothes,  could be seen doing sit-ups and jumping jacks during the  report.

“These are activities of indoctrination that we have with  the citizenship … so that at any given moment they can  proceed to defend our nation,” Colonel Ramiro Siles was quoted  as telling one local radio network.

Morales has sought to modernize the armed forces, building  barracks, buying vehicles and small fighter planes from China  in a bid to boost army morale.

Venezuela’s Chavez, a former paratrooper, has also trained  a militia aimed at defending the oil-rich country from a coup  attempt or an attack from abroad.