Reps. Sires and Rooney Call on Morales Government to Respect Democratic Principles and Ensure Free and Fair Elections in Bolivia

Statement

Today, Congressman Albio Sires (D-NJ) and Congressman Francis Rooney (R-FL), the Chairman and Ranking Member respectively of the Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere, Civilian Security, and Trade, released the following statement urging the Bolivian Government to respect the will of the people and ensure that the general elections in Bolivia on October 20th are free, fair, and transparent:

"We are deeply concerned about the Morales government's continued restrictions on press freedom and persecution of opposition politicians, which have weakened public institutions in Bolivia. We also reject the 2017 decision by the Bolivian Constitutional Tribunal to ignore the results of the 2016 referendum in which the Bolivian people voted down a proposal to lift constitutional term limits to allow Morales to pursue a fourth term.

"14 years ago, Evo Morales made history by becoming Bolivia's first indigenous president. While the country has made progress in addressing poverty, increased restrictions on political freedoms and lack of adherence to the rule of law undermine those advances.

"We call on the Bolivian authorities to ensure that every citizen can exercise their fundamental right to vote, without pressure or interference. We affirm our support for international observation efforts, independent civil society, independent media, and all actors working to protect the integrity of the electoral process. We stand firmly with the Bolivian people in defense of their right to determine the future of their country."

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