Leftist Riots Engulf Bolivia, Blocking Food, Medicine, and Fuel to Cities

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed Wednesday America’s support to Bolivia and the democratically elected government of President Rodrigo Paz amid a wave of violent nationwide protests and blockades causing shortages of medicine, food and fuel.

“Let there be no mistake: the United States stands squarely in support of Bolivia’s legitimate constitutional government,” Sec. Rubio wrote on social media. “We will not allow criminals and drug traffickers to overthrow democratically elected leaders in our hemisphere.”

The South American nation on Thursday entered the third consecutive week of riots and blockades across its territory staged by the leftist Bolivian Workers’ Union (COB) and other groups — some of which are reportedly aligned with fugitive socialist ex-president Evo Morales.

The violent protesters are calling for President Paz’s resignation and reversal of austerity policies, intended to overturn the dire economic crisis and fuel shortages left by nearly two decades’ worth of disastrous socialist policies