,,iii #aaf? ,,congress #a/ ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #ce ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,! ,,unit$ ,,/ates ,janu>y #ca1 #bjai ,mr4 ,m55dez 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,durb91 & ,mr4 ,cruz7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,=eign ,relations ,,resolution ,support+ democratic pr9ciples & /&>ds 9 ,bolivia & ?r\gh\t ,lat9 ,am]ica4 ,:]eas ! nation ( ,bolivia proclaim$ indep5d5ce f ,spa9 on ,augu/ #f1 #ahbe1 ) ,simn ,bolv> z its presid5t2 ,:]eas ,bolivia endur$ m ?an a c5tury ( fragile gov]nance & in/ability1 ) m ?an #aej *anges ( lead]%ip s9ce x ga9$ indep5d5ce & at lea/ six milit>y c\ps betwe5 #aieb & #aiha alone2 ,:]eas1 betwe5 ,octob] #f & #g1 #aigj1 & aga9 on ,july #ba1 #aigh1 ,bolivia exp]i5c$ a succession ( milit>y c\ps result+ 9 ?ree diff]5t gov]nm5ts ov] ea* respective p]iod2 ,:]eas a transition to civilian democracy occurr$ 9 #aihb1 aft] ! rul+ milit>y junta h&$ ov] p[] to a civilian gov]nm5t1 :i* manag$ to ma9ta9 control despite major economic upheavals & pa9ful m>ket re=ms2 ,:]eas elect$ ,presid5t ,gonzalo ,san*ez de ,lozada & 8 successor ,c>los ,mesa bo? resign$ 9 ! face ( de/abiliz+ prote/s 9 #bjjc & #bjje1 respectively2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjje1 ,evo ,morales won 8 fir/ t]m z presid5t1 becom+ ,bolivia's fir/ indig5\s citiz5 elect$ to ! (fice2 ,:]eas ,bolivia's hi/orically m>g9aliz$ indig5\s peoples repres5t approximately #da p]c5t ( ! c\ntry's population1 accord+ to ! #bjab ,bolivian c5sus2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjjf1 ! p ( ,bolivia elect$ a con/itu5t assembly to write a new con/itution recogniz+ great] political & economic rights = ! c\ntry's indig5\s population1 :ile key opposition p>ties boycott$ ! con/itu5t assembly election2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjjh1 a recall ref]5dum on ,presid5t ,morales 0 reject$ by #fg p]c5t ( vot]s 9 ,bolivia2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjjh1 amid/ gr[+ prote/s 9 ! c\ntry & ris+ t5sions betwe5 ,bolivia & ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 ,presid5t ,morales expell$ ! ,unit$ ,/ates ambassador to ,bolivia2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjji1 ,bolivians approv$1 by a vote ( m ?an #fj p]c5t 9 a nationwide ref]5dum1 a new con/itution t includ$ a limit ( two five-ye> presid5tial t]ms2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjji1 ,presid5t ,morales won reelection to a second t]m ) m ?an #fj p]c5t ( ! vote2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjac1 ,presid5t ,morales' loyali/s 9 ,bolivia's ,legislative ,assembly approv$ legislation all[+ him to run = a ?ird t]m--a law t ,presid5t ,morales' political allies 9 ! ,bolivian ,con/itutional ,tribunal affirm$1 rul+ t ! two-t]m limit 9 ! c\ntry's new con/itution did n apply because ,presid5t ,morales' fir/ t]m 0 "u ! old con/itution2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjac1 ,presid5t ,morales expell$ ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,ag5cy = ,int]national ,developm5t = try+ to conspire aga9/ ,bolivia2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjad1 ,presid5t ,morales won 8 ?ird t]m z presid5t1 ) #fj p]c5t ( ! vote2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjaf1 ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,bolivia call$ a national ref]5dum to modify ! con/itution 9 ord] to all[ = an additional t]m = ,morales2 ,:]eas1 t same ye>1 m ?an half ( vot]s 9 ,bolivia reject$ ! propos$ lift+ ( presid5tial t]m limits t w\ld h all[$ ,presid5t ,morales to run = a f\r? t]m & s]ve at lea/ #bj ye>s 9 (fice2 ,:]eas1 aft] ! ref]5dum1 ! ,morales ,adm9i/ration increas$ its tr\bl+ rhetoric aga9/ opposition m$ia & advanc$ a n>rative sugge/+ a plot to prev5t ,presid5t ,morales f /ay+ 9 p[]2 ,:]eas1 9 #bjag1 ,presid5t ,morales' loyali/s on ! ,bolivian ,con/itutional ,tribunal lift$ con/itutional t]m limits argu+ t !y violat$ ! c&idates' human rights1 cit+ ! ,am]ican ,conv5tion ( ,human ,rights1 adopt$ at ,san ,jose ,novemb] #bb1 #aifi1 ! ma9 human rights treaty 9 ! ,am]icas1 z ! legal f\ndation = its decision2 ,:]eas ! ,conv5tion /ates t political rights c only be limit$ "u v specific circum/ances1 a provision :i*1 :5 draft$ 9 #aifi1 0 int5d$ to prev5t abusive gov]nm5ts f arbitr>ily b>r+ opposition c&idates & n to imp$e con/itutional reelection limits design$ to r$uce corruption & abuse ( p[] giv5 ,lat9 ,am]ica's long hi/ory ( viol5t & prolong$ dictator%ip2 ,:]eas ! ,bolivian ,con/itutional ,tribunal's rul+ r5d]$ ,bolivia "o ( a v small numb] ( c\ntries 9 ! ,we/]n ,hemisph]e t does n place limits on presid5tial reelection2 ,:]eas ! ,secret>y ,g5]al ( ! ,organization ( ,am]ican ,/ates said ! cit$ clause does n mean ! "r to p]petual p[]4 ''' ,besides1 presid5tial re-election 0 reject$ by popul> w 9 a ref]5dum 9 #bjaf42 ,:]eas1 9 ,m>* #bjah1 a report commission$ by ! ,organization ( ,am]ican ,/ates specifically relat$ to ?is issue /at$ t-- 7#a7 ,!re is no specific & di/9ct human "r to re-election42 7#b7 ,t]m limits ''' are a reasonable limit to ! "r to be elect$ because !y prev5t an unlimit$ ex]cise ( p[] 9 ! h&s ( ! ,presid5t42 & 7#c7 ,! limits on a presid5t's re-election d n !re=e unduly re/rict 8_/h] human & political rights42 & ,:]eas ! ,morales era has se5 _m social & economic ga9s1 b also a weak5+ & und]m9+ ( key democratic in/itutions 9 ord] to favor ! rul+ p>ty3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t ! ,s5ate-- 7#a7 supports ! important transitions to democracy & ! regul> peaceful transf]s ( p[] ?r\gh elections t h tak5 place 9 ! majority ( ,lat9 ,am]ican & ,c>ibbean c\ntries 9 rec5t decades2 7#b7 recognizes ! hi/oric significance ( ,bolivia's #bjje election2 7#c7 expresses conc]n = ef=ts to circumv5t presid5tial t]m limits 9 ! ,bolivian con/itution2 7#d7 supports presid5tial t]m limits preval5t 9 ,lat9 ,am]ica z reasonable *ecks aga9/ a hi/ory ( c\ps1 corruption1 & abuses ( p[]2 7#e7 expresses ! belief t ! #bjaf ref]5dum vote to ma9ta9 presid5tial t]m limits reflect$ ! legitimate w ( ! majority ( vot]s 9 ,bolivia2 7#f7 agrees ) ! ,organization ( ,am]ican ,/ates ,secret>y ,g5]al's int]pretation ( ! ,am]ican ,conv5tion ( ,human ,rights z n applicable to presid5tial t]m limits2 7#g7 calls on ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,bolivia to respect1 & :]e necess>y re/ore1 ! indep5d5ce ( key electoral & gov]n+ bodies & adm9i/] ! ,octob] #bjai election 9 adh]5ce ) int]national democratic norms & its own con/itutional limits on presid5tial t]ms2 & 7#h7 calls on ,lat9 ,am]ican democracies to cont9ue to uphold democratic norms & /&>ds among memb]s /ates4