Republican Senators Condemn Bolivia Protests, Support President Paz

Republican senators led by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jim Risch condemned violent protests in Bolivia and expressed support for President Rodrigo Paz. The statement, signed by Risch along with Sens. Bernie Moreno, Rick Scott, and John Curtis, called on Bolivians to demonstrate peacefully while the government works to address economic challenges.

It urged the international community to support Bolivian efforts to stabilize the economy. Paz was elected last year after promising economic reforms. His administration has ended longstanding fuel subsidies, a step that has drawn public opposition.

A top State Department official recently described the protests as an ongoing coup d'état. The senators' statement came days after that description. The senators said they support Paz's government as it seeks to overcome two decades of failed socialist economic policies.