Statement by Members of the High-Level Mission of OAS Member States to Bolivia

The text of the following statement will be released by the Governments of the United States of America, Argentina, Canada, Chile, Panama, Peru, and Uruguay.

At the invitation of the Government of the Plurinational State of Bolivia and pursuant to the resolution adopted by the General Assembly of the Organization of American States, members of the High-Level Mission traveled to La Paz and Santa Cruz de la Sierra on July 29-30.  We thank the Government of Bolivia, Foreign Minister Fernando Aramayo, members of Bolivia’s civil society, and all participants for their hospitality and engagement. 

While we respect the right to peaceful protest, we are deeply concerned by the impact of violent blockades on the lives of Bolivian citizens, democracy, and the rule of law in Bolivia. The continued efforts to undermine and overthrow the legitimate and democratically elected government of President Rodrigo Paz represent a serious threat to constitutional order and democratic stability in the country and our hemisphere. 

A minority acting outside the law attempted to disregard the will expressed by the majority of Bolivians at the polls less than one year ago, rejected the government’s willingness to engage in dialogue, and maintained road blockades for more than seven weeks, depriving the Bolivian people of access to food, health care, and other necessities such as fuel.  These actions severely affected the daily lives of millions of citizens and put fundamental rights at risk.  Deaths of Bolivian civilians occurred due to restrictions on free transit, which prevented them from accessing medicines, hospitals, or health centers in a timely manner.  Protesters injured police officers in the line of duty.  For any democracy to function, violence cannot subvert the constitutional order. 

We value the government’s willingness to engage in dialogue and in finding agreements. We express solidarity and support the constitutionally elected Bolivian government and urge the prioritization of dialogue and negotiations within the established constitutional framework as a fundamental tool of democracy. We urge peaceful resolution of conflicts without violence.

Defending freedom, democracy, and hemispheric security requires commitment and cooperation.  During this Mission, we reaffirm our commitment to continue working to strengthen stability and preserve the democratic order in our region and stand in solidarity with Bolivia’s democratic government and the people of Bolivia. We call for peaceful coexistence through consensus-building and dialogue.

This statement reflects the experiences of the members of the Mission, who will report their findings to their respective governments, consult with other OAS member states on actionable items to support the democratically elected government of Bolivia, including a report-back to the OAS Permanent Council, and collaborate through the OAS in close regional coordination on next steps.