Santa Cruz de La Sierra (Bolivia) - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva urged Bolivia to take the path to democracy, calling it the best instrument for economic and political recovery. Last October, Bolivia went through a political crisis which resulted in the resignation of president Gonzalo Sánchez de Lozada as a popular uprising raged throughout the country.

During a speech at a ceremony celebrating the signing of agreements with Bolivia, Lula declared that the decision by president Carlos Mesa (who substituted Sanchez de Lozada) to hold a referendum on the country's energy policy next week and municipal elections in December "will make it possible for Bolivia to discover what its population wants."

Lula went on to say that "At this moment, when Bolivia gathers strength, it can count on the friendship of the government and people of Brazil. That is the message we sent Bolivia last year during its crisis, and that is the message we send now. That friendship also underlies these agreements we sign today."

Lula concluded by saying that Latin America needs a "Bolivia that is democratic, prosperous and united... a country based on the dreams of Bolivar who wanted borders to bring people together, not separate them," said the Brazilian president.

Carlos Mesa endorsed those words, saying that democracy was the only mechanism that would enable Bolivia to get back on track. "We want democracy to be the crucial issue in our future," he declared, adding that he still intends to convoke a Constitutional Assembly.

Translator: Allen Bennett