Referendum 25 January 2009

(Santa Cruz, Bolivia )

WARDEN MESSAGE
U.S. EMBASSY LA PAZ, BOLIVIA
January 20, 2009

This Warden Message is being issued to inform U.S. citizens traveling to and residing in Bolivia that on Sunday, January 25, Bolivia will be holding a referendum that will affect business operations and activities throughout the country. Please review the following and make the necessary arrangements to minimize any inconvenience.

Beginning Thursday, January 22, at midnight (i.e., 12:01 AM Friday, January 23) through Monday, January 26, at noon, the sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages will be suspended. Carrying firearms on the day of the referendum is illegal.

Beginning midnight Saturday, through midnight Sunday, no private vehicles or public transportation will be allowed on the road without prior authorization from the Electoral Court. Domestic flights will be cancelled, but international flights will be operating. Please note that the transportation services from the airport to the different cities in Bolivia will be limited to hotel shuttles. Travelers should arrange their plans so as to avoid travel to/from/within Bolivia on January 25, 2009, if possible.

For the latest security information, U.S. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's internet website at http://travel.state.gov where the current worldwide caution, travel warnings and travel alerts can be found. Additional information is available in the country specific information for Bolivia at http://travel.state.gov and on the embassy web page at http://bolivia.usembassy.gov.

Current information on travel and security in Bolivia may be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United States, or, from overseas, 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). U.S. citizens traveling or residing overseas are encouraged to register with the appropriate U.S. embassy or consulate on the State Department's travel registration web site at https://travelregistration.state.gov.

U.S. citizens may contact the consular section of the U.S. Embassy in La Paz, Bolivia, via e-mail at consularlapaz@state.gov or by telephone at (591-2) 216-8297 during business hours (Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) or (591-2) 216-8500 after hours and on weekends. The consular section is located in the U.S. Embassy at 2780 Arce Avenue in La Paz, Bolivia, and is open to the public (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.). The Santa Cruz consular agency can be reached by telephone at (591-3) 351-3480 or by e-mail to USCit.Services.SRZ@gmail.com, and the Cochabamba consular agency can be reached by telephone at (591-4) 411-6313 or e-mail to USCit.Services.CBB@gmail.com.