MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th November, 2019) The United States supports calls for new elections in Bolivia, believing that "all government officials" who were involved in the October vote should "step aside" from the new electoral process, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday.
In his statement, Pompeo commended the work of the team of the Organization of American States (OAS), which he says "found numerous irregularities" in the October 20 elections.
"We fully support the OAS and Bolivian calls for new elections and a new Electoral Tribunal that can ensure free and fair elections that reflect the will of the Bolivian people. In order to restore credibility to the electoral process, all government officials and officials of any political organizations implicated in the flawed October 20 elections should step aside from the electoral process," he said.
He also noted that the OAS should oversee the new elections and urged all sides to refrain from violence.
Earlier in the day, incumbent Bolvian President Evo Morales called a new presidential election amid mass protests and after the publication of the OAS preliminary report. He also pledged to reshuffle the electoral board.
His main rival in the elections, Carlos Mesa, and several other opposition leaders have said that Morales must not stand in the election rerun and should resign.
