Venezuelan president expresses support for Bolivian counterpart on hunger strike

Source: Xinhua | 04-13-2009 10:04

CARACAS, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called his Bolivian counterpart Evo Morales on Sunday to express support for his hunger strike, which began last Thursday.

"Go ahead, we are with you. This is the same fight for the Latin American peoples," Chavez told Morales, saying that he was also supported by the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA), a Latin America trade alliance for advancing regional integration while countering U.S. economic influence in the region.

"Take care of your health. I am following the situation and all the ALBA peoples are following the incidents. It is the same fight for the liberation of our peoples," Chavez said.

His call to Morales was broadcast live on Local TV chain Telesur on Sunday.

Morales began the hunger strike last Thursday after Bolivia's opposition-led Senate failed to approve an electoral reform law, a move which, as Morales and his supporters claimed, was against the people's will.

The law, which has been approved by Bolivians in the last referendum, will benefit Morales' reelection on December and help him stay in office till 2015.

The opposition said the bill would benefit Morales's reelection bid as it would give more seats to minority indigenous groups, among whom Morales enjoys remarkable popularity.

"The racist, fascist and discriminatory right-wing feels that the people is defeating it; the only thing we are doing is to defend the democracy," Morales said when apologizing for not attending ALBA Summit scheduled for next week.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei