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US State Department backs Bolivian government amid protests

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said he had spoken with Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz

WASHINGTON, May 20. /TASS/. The US administration supports the government of Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz amid ongoing protests in the country, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said on X on Tuesday.

According to him, "those who lost overwhelmingly at the ballot box in Bolivia last year are trying to overthrow President Rodrigo Paz by organizing riots and [road] blockades with the support of organized crime and drug traffickers." "I spoke with my friend President Paz this afternoon, and assured him that the United States stands squarely in support of Bolivia's legitimate constitutional government and rejects this attempt to substitute the institutional order with mob rule," Landau emphasized.

Anti-government protests have been ongoing in Bolivia for several weeks, including road blockades across different regions. Authorities blame supporters of former President Evo Morales for disruptions in supply chains and unrest. On May 18, clashes in La Paz led to the detention of around 100 people.

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