Violent overthrows of democratically elected leaders will not be supported by the United States, the country’s President, Barack Obama, said yesterday in response to claims by Bolivia President Evo Morales that Americans are behind a plot to kill him.

In doing so, however, Obama acknowledged the US ’obviously has a history in this region that’s not always appreciated from the perspective of some’.

’What we need to do is try to move forward, and that I am responsible for how this administration acts and we will be respectful to those democratically elected governments, even when we disagree with them,’ Obama said.

He did so during a news conference at the Hilton Trinidad hotel in St Ann’s at the end of the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain.

During a news briefing at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port of Spain on Saturday, Morales had said if Obama did not condemn the plot, he ’might think it was organised through the embassy’.

Yesterday, Obama completely distanced his administration from the alleged plot to kill Morales.

’Now, specifically on the Bolivia issue, I just want to make absolutely clear that I am absolutely opposed and condemn any efforts at violent overthrows of democratically elected governments, wherever it happens in the hemisphere. That is not the policy of our government. That is not how the American people expect their government to conduct themselves. And so I want to be as clear as possible on that,’ Obama said.

While Bolivia and the US have diplomatic ties, they have not posted any ambassadors after Morales expelled the US Ambassador Philip S Goldberg last September, after he alleged the diplomat was fostering divisions in the already divided country.

In addition to the Bolivia issue, Obama also addressed the sentencing in Iran of 31-year-old journalist and American-Iranian citizen, Roxana Saberi, to eight years in prison on charges of spying for the US. See Page 27.

Obama said he was ’gravely concerned with her safety and well-being’.