The Secretary General of the Andean Community, Guillermo Fernández de Soto, wishes to express his full support for the legally constituted government of Bolivia under the presidency of Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada, in the light of events that are taking place in that country today.

He strongly condemns the acts of violence that in recent days have thrown Bolivia into an upheaval and have resulted in an unfortunate loss of human lives.

He calls upon the opposition forces to show respect for the democratically constituted institutions in keeping with the “Andean Community Commitment to Democracy” and to turn to dialogue and concerted action to find solutions to the difficult problems of reestablishing peace and ensuring the safety and lives of the people in the country.

October 13, 2003