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Morales Thanks UNASUR for Supporting Bolivia BOLIVIA, September 16, 2008.— Bolivian President Evo Morales spoke Tuesday about the support he received from the 12 heads of state of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) that held an emergency summit in Santiago de Chile on Monday demanding respect for legitimate democracy in Bolivia. During a press conference, Morales thanked participants at the meeting headed by Chilean President Michelle Bachelet in her condition as UNASUR pro temp president, reported Prensa Latina. Morales said that for the first time the leaders of South America mobilized to ward off threats of a coup and to defend the unity of a country in the region without interference from the United States. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called UNASUR’s support of Morales historical and warned of Washington’s role in the recent violence in Bolivia. Santa Cruz Governor Ruben Costas announced that he would sign the draft agreement for dialogue with the Morales government. He said he spoke only on behalf of his department, but some analysts indicated that the rest of the opposition governors might soon follow suit despite the arrest of Pando Governor Leopoldo Fernandez. Fernandez is charged in the massacre that resulted in at least 15 dead, more than 70 injured and 106 still missing, for the most part farmers who showed their support of Morales, reported EFE. In the final declaration of the emergency summit, UNASUR member countries condemned the massacres in Bolivia and announced the creation of three commissions to support the Bolivian government politically, and to help with logistics and investigations. UNASUR heads of states also agreed to adopt a united stand as a block of nations in relations with the United States. |