CP/RES. 852 (1387/03)

SUPPORT FOR THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROCESS IN THE REPUBLIC OF BOLIVIA

THE PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES,

TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION the political and social events that occurred in the Republic of Bolivia;

AWARE of the commitment to ensure on an ongoing basis the stability of the democratic system in its member states, within the framework of the Inter-American Democratic Charter;

HAVING HEARD the presentation by the Ambassador Permanent Representative of Bolivia on the constitutional system in her country, which guarantees representative democracy and the rule of law, within the spirit of the Inter-American Democratic Charter;

HAVING TAKEN COGNIZANCE of the support jointly expressed by the governments of the Hemisphere and by the subregional mechanisms for political consultation in favor of the democratic institutional framework in Bolivia; and

REITERATING that democracy and social and economic development are interdependent and mutually reinforcing,

RESOLVES:

1.     To express its full support for the constitutional and democratic succession that occurred in the Republic of Bolivia and for the Government of Carlos D. Mesa Gisbert, as a consequence thereof.

2.     To reaffirm its commitment to the defense and promotion of the values and democratic institutions provided for in the Charter of the Organization of American States and the Inter-American Democratic Charter.

3.     To support democratic institutional life in Bolivia through constructive dialogue, which will preserve the legitimacy of the democratic process, the aim being to achieve consensus in the quest for social harmony and national reconciliation.

4.     To urge the Government of Bolivia and all political, social, and economic sectors in the country to strengthen its democratic institutions, through organized and purposeful participation, as a means of ensuring good governance, based on full respect for the democratic system, the constitutional framework, and the rule of law.

5.     To reiterate that representative democracy is strengthened and deepened by permanent, ethical, and responsible participation of the citizenry within a legal framework conforming to the respective constitutional order.

6.     To urge the international financial institutions to cooperate effectively with the Constitutional Government of the Republic, with the urgency that the situation warrants, to enable it to face, under adequate and sustainable conditions, the needs that must be met to reduce poverty and boost development in that country.