Bolivia events send strong signal to Venezuela, Nicaragua: Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump on Monday said that the resignation of Bolivian President Evo Morales is a significant moment for democracy in the country and these events send a strong signal to the "illegitimate regimes" in Venezuela and Nicaragua.

"The resignation yesterday of Bolivian President Evo Morales is a significant moment for democracy in the Western Hemisphere. After nearly 14 years and his recent attempt to override the Bolivian constitution and the will of the people, Morales's departure preserves democracy and paves the way for the Bolivian people to have their voices heard," Trump said in a statement.

Adding that the United States applauds the Bolivian people for demanding freedom and the Bolivian military for abiding by its oath to protect not just a single person, but Bolivia's constitution, the President said: "These events send a strong signal to the illegitimate regimes in Venezuela and Nicaragua that democracy and the will of the people will always prevail. We are now one step closer to a completely democratic, prosperous, and free Western Hemisphere."

Trump's statement came a day after the Bolivian President announced his resignation amid growing opposition after an international audit found the results of last month's election could not be validated due to "serious irregularities."

Morales said he was stepping down "for the good of the country," which has been roiled by protests in the days following the October 20 election in which three people had died and a hundred others had sustained injuries.

The Bolivian Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera also announced his resignation minutes after Morales.

Morales is Bolivia's first indigenous President. He won his first election with a campaign that promised a government focused on the needs of the country's poor, but later he was accused of using the system to concentrate power.

-ANI

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