Latin America reaffirmed Tuesday its support to Bolivian President Carlos Mesa, who presented Monday his resignation, at the time the United States pronounced a peaceful solution to the political crisis in the Andean nation.

Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay are among the nations whose governments openly supported Mesa to continue to be the head of the Bolivian government.

Argentine President Nestor Kirchner held a long telephone conversation with Mesa, in which he expressed his support.

The Foreign Minister of Argentina, Rafael Bielsa expressed his confidence that the Bolivian Congress will reject in the coming hours the resignation presented Monday by Mesa, whose administration has been hindered by a wave of protests against hisgovernment.

Brazil, the largest country of Latin America, backed the continuity of Mesa in the Bolivian Presidency.

Marco Garcia, adviser of international affairs to Brazilian President Luiz I. "Lula" da Silva, said it is necessary that the general problems of Bolivia be solved within a legal framework, and not via street pressure, said Garcia.

The Bolivian Congress will decide over the coming hours whetheror not it accepts the resignation presented by Mesa.

Mexico, the biggest economy of Latin America, said it fully supports the democratic and constitutional government headed by Carlos Mesa.

Mexico and the United States co-preside the Group of Support toBolivia of the Organization of American States (OAS).

At Lima, Peruvian Foreign Minister Manuel Rodriguez affirmed "Mesa's government should be allowed to continue".

Chilean governmental spokesman, Francisco Vidal, said his country respects the decisions adopted by the Bolivian State within the framework of its institutionality and ruled out that a possible change of president will affect bilateral relations.

At Washington, a spokesperson of the State Department said the government trusts a peaceful solution to the political crisis of Bolivia will come.

Spokesman Richard Boucher said the United States calles on the political leaders of Bolivia to work altogether "to favor the existence of a more stable and prosperous Bolivia."

The new government of Uruguay, headed by socialist Tabare Vazquez, said Tuesday it wished to support Bolivia to overcome itspolitical crisis, yet, without interfering in the internal affairsof that country.

Meanwhile, Panama said it supported Mesa to stay in office and warned that political turmoil will have destabilizing consequencesto democracy in the Andean country and regional relations.

The Common Market of the South (MERCOSUR), whose full members are Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay), expressed through a communique "its firmest support" to Mesa. Bolivia is an associate member to MERCOSUR.

The Andean Community (ANCOM) extended its solidarity with the Bolivian leader and demanded a solution to the political crisis inBolivia. ANCOM is made by Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela.

The South American Community of Nations (CSN), which comprises all the South American nations, also expressed its support to Mesaand urged to end the crisis in Bolivia.

Source: Xinhua