The U.S. government on Tuesday affirmed its support for Algerians' right to protest, as mass demonstrations erupted across the North African nation against President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's bid for a fifth term.
Deputy State Department spokesman Robert Palladino stated, "We support the Algerian people and their right to peacefully assemble." He added, "We're monitoring these protests and will continue to do so."
Tens of thousands of Algerians have taken to the streets demanding Bouteflika's resignation, with students leading marches in the capital and major cities on Tuesday. The 82-year-old leader, who suffered a stroke in 2013 and rarely appears publicly, pledged in a recent letter to hold a "national conference" if re-elected in April, promising not to contest future polls.
However, this assurance has been widely dismissed as insincere by protesters weary of his two-decade rule, which has seen persistent calls for political reform and an end to perceived authoritarian practices.
