The regional scenario has taken a definitive turn towards security and institutionality. On June 5, the member countries of the “Shield of the Americas” —comprising Argentina, United States, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago— issued a strong joint statement. In the document, the governments condemned “the ongoing efforts to overthrow the legitimate and widely elected government of President Rodrigo Paz in Bolivia”.
The coalition was relentless in pointing out that roadblocks are not social protests, but rather “cynical efforts aimed at preventing the distribution of food, medicine, and other essential supplies”. Furthermore, the official statement warns that destabilizing groups will not be able to bend the will of the majority of Bolivians who chose to leave behind “two decades of corrupt governments”, emphasizing that the financiers of these uprisings, linked to drug trafficking, must be held accountable before the law.
In line with the vision of Javier Milei, Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno used his social media to clarify the position of the Casa Rosada. “We support a new regional declaration in support of Bolivia within the framework of the Shield of the Americas, reaffirming our commitment to democracy, institutional stability, and constitutional order”, the diplomat expressed.
Quirno emphasized that Argentina's support will not be limited to rhetoric: “We will continue to support, with words and actions, the Bolivian people and their democratically elected authorities against any attempt at destabilization and all forms of violence or intimidation”. According to the foreign minister, the defense of freedom requires close cooperation with regional partners to preserve democratic order in the hemisphere.
