President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and President Evo Morales Ayma of the Plurinational State of Bolivia held a joint press conference at the Presidential Complex following their tête-à-tête and the meeting between the delegations.

Voicing his pleasure over the first-ever presidential visit from Bolivia to Turkiye, President Erdoğan said that he believes that this historic visit will be a new milestone in the two countries' relations.    

"We aim to increase our bilateral trade volume to 500 million dollars"

Mentioning the economic and trade relations between Turkiye and Bolivia, President Erdoğan underlined that the bilateral trade volume between the two countries has reached 113 million dollars in the last two years.

The President further noted that together with President Morales, they have set a target of increasing the bilateral trade volume to 500 million dollars.

Pointing out that they discussed realizing joint projects in the area of energy, President Erdoğan said they also addressed potential cooperation particularly in the defense industry, and that as Turkiye, they attach special importance to cooperation with Bolivia in the area of development, as well.

"We reject all kinds of discrimination, otherization, and ostracization"

Stating that besides the bilateral relations between Turkiye and Bolivia, they also discussed regional and international issues, President Erdoğan noted: "Turkiye and Bolivia have similar attitudes towards many issues. We would like to reiterate our concern about the rise of the far-right and Islamophobic movements in the world."

"We reject all kinds of discrimination, otherization, and ostracization. I thank Bolivia for the support it gives to the Palestinian cause, particularly to Al-Quds' status and to the protection of Palestinian civilians. We also watch with appreciation the stance it displays regarding the Golan Heights."

“The Venezuelan people demonstrated its will in last year's presidential elections”

Saying that he also exchanged views with President Morales of Bolivia on the Venezuela issue, President Erdoğan said: "The Venezuelan people demonstrated its will in last year's presidential elections."

"In the name of democracy, we do not approve of the questioning of the decisions our Venezuelan friends made before ballot boxes by others."

The President further stressed that like Bolivia, Turkiye also recognizes the Maduro administration as the legitimate government of Venezuela within the framework of respecting countries2 sovereignty rights, will of people and democracy as well as of not meddling other countries' internal affairs.

President Morales of Bolivia: "Venezuela is a country that defends its independence despite its economic problems"

President Morales of Bolivia, for his part, voiced his pleasure over being in Turkiye and added that Bolivia’s Ambassador to Turkiye will take office in the upcoming weeks.

Saying that he agrees with President Erdoğan on his remarks with regard to Venezuela, President Morales said he knows well the state, government, and people of Venezuela, and that it is a country that defends its independence and sovereignty despite its economic problems.

"It is also a country that defends the honor and identity of its people, therefore we support them," he added.

ILKHA