The Presidents of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) agreed on Monday to create a commission open to all its members, coordinated by the President pro tempore, to accompany the legitimate government of President Evo Morales in Bolivia during this time.
After a long meeting that was a result of the crisis in Bolivia, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet read the final declaration of the summit from the Presidential Palace of La Moneda. This declaration was unanimously approved by the members of Unasur.
The following is a translation of the Moneda Declaration:
The heads of state of Unasur, meeting in the Palace of La Moneda, in Santiago de Chile on September 15, 2008, with the purpose of considering the situation in the Republic of Bolivia and remembering the tragic events which occurred in Chile in 1973 and shocked all of humanity,
Considering that the constitutive treaty of Unasur, signed in Brasilia on May 23, 2008, established the principles of unrestricted support for sovereignty, of non-interference in internal affairs, of territorial integrity and inviolability, of democracy, its institutions and the unrestricted respect for human rights, faced with the grave events happening in the sister Republic of Bolivia and in favor of strengthening political dialogue and cooperation for the strengthening of citizen’s security,
In agreement, the member countries of Unasur:
1) Express their full and decided support for the constitutional government of President Evo Morales, whose mandate was ratified by a large majority in the recent referendum.
2) Warn that their respective governments emphatically reject and will not recognize any situation which entails an attempt for a civil coup, that ruptures institutional order or that compromises the territorial integrity of the Republic of Bolivia.
3) Consistent with the above, and taking into consideration the grave situation which affects the sister Republic of Bolivia, condemn the attack on government facilities and public employees by groups that seek to destabilize Bolivian democracy, and demand the prompt return of these facilities as a condition for initiating a process of dialogue.
4) At the same time, appeal to all political and social parties involved to take the necessary measures for the immediate cessation of acts of violence, intimidation, and disrespect to established democratic institutions and public order.
5) In this context, express their strongest condemnation of the massacre that took place in the department of Pando, support the appeals made by the Bolivian government to form a Unasur commission in this brother country to undertake an impartial investigation that will establish and clarify the facts, as soon as possible, of this lamentable event, and to make recommendations towards guaranteeing that the massacre does not go unpunished.
6) Urge all members of Bolivian society to preserve national unity and the territorial integrity of the country, which are basic fundamentals of any State, and to reject any attempt to undermine these principles.
7) Appeal for dialogue to establish the conditions which will allow the country to overcome the current situation and arrange for a sustainable solution within a framework of full respect for the rule of law.
8) In this regard, the Presidents of Unasur agree to create a commission open to all its members, coordinated by the President pro tempore, to accompany the legitimate government of Bolivia in these tasks.
9) Create a commission of support and assistance to the government of Bolivia, according to its needs and including specialists.
Presidential Press, Press Department of the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela / September 16, 2008
Embassy
