US suspends Peace Corps mission in Bolivia

Sep 16, 2008, 16:56 GMT

Washington - The United States has suspended its Peace Corps activities in Bolivia over concerns about the safety of the volunteers serving in the country mired in political turmoil.

'We believe that this was a prudent step, based on the situation on the ground in Bolivia,' State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Tuesday.

The move to temporarily suspended the Peace Corps mission comes after Bolivian President Evo Morales expelled the US ambassador to the poor Andean nation, accusing him of fomenting political opposition.

The expulsion touched off a diplomatic crisis. Washington responded by ordering the Bolivian ambassador out of the United States.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, citing his support for his leftist ally in Bolivia, requested the departure of the US ambassador to Caracas. The United States did the same to the Venezuelan envoy in Washington.

McCormack emphasized that the suspension of the Peace Corps work was for security reasons, but also said the United States was reviewing its relationship with Bolivia.

'We're going to reserve the right to take a look at our relationship with Bolivia and, where we feel appropriate, to take steps that reflect the current state of that relationship,' McCormack said.

The Peace Corps is a US government volunteer outfit established in 1961 to help underdeveloped countries improve in their agriculture, business, environment, health, youth outreach and technological sectors.

The Peace Corps has been in Bolivia since 1962.