WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The US State Department has authorized the evacuation of family members of US government employees working in Bolivia and has put the country on the red 'do not travel' list amid the tense situation in the country which is undergoing a controversial power transition.
"On November 12, 2019, the Department ordered the departure of family members and authorized the departure of non-emergency U.S. government employees due to ongoing political instability in Bolivia. The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in Bolivia," the State Department said in a travel advisory on Tuesday.
The statement warns against traveling to Bolivia, where demonstrations continue in major cities. The state department has classified the travel advisory as "level 4 – do not travel."
"Protestors in major cities are intermittently occupying or blocking access to public institutions and infrastructure, denying access to transportation hubs, banks, and other services. Some protests have resulted in violent confrontations, and local authorities have used crowd control measures to discourage protests," the US State Department explained.
Earlier on Tuesday, Second Vice Speaker of Bolivia’s Senate Jeanine Anez declared herself interim president without lawmakers’ official approval.
Bolivia’s President Evo Morales resigned on Sunday amid mass demonstrations against his victory in the October presidential election.
