On 1 February, two former members of the Bolivian government had been granted asylum in the Mexican Embassy in La Paz and safe passage by the Bolivian interim Government but were hindered in their attempt to leave the country. Upon arrival at the airport, they were detained due to alleged arrest warrants against them. Such an approach constitutes a breach of prior assurances given by the Bolivian authorities. This also goes against the international mediation efforts, including those of the European Union.

After several hours of negotiations, in which the EU Delegation played an active role, the interim government allowed the two former members of government to leave Bolivia.

The EU acknowledges the swift resolution of this unfortunate incident. It expects the interim government of Bolivia to take all necessary measures to avoid such situations in the future and to ensure that the respect for the rule of law is upheld.

The European Union has been fully engaged in the national mediation endeavour, along with other partners. We have offered our assistance in the upcoming electoral process and the Bolivian authorities have invited the European Union to observe the upcoming elections. As a long term partner of Bolivia, the European Union will continue to support the country’s social, economic and democratic development.