Presidents of Bolivia Evo Morales and Nicaragua Daniel Ortega, in addition to Cuban Vice-president Carlos Lage, joined Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez on Wednesday in Caracas to hold an unexpected meeting of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA).

Based on a government press release, the meeting will serve to consolidate the agreements executed in the context of ALBA, AFP quoted.

The gathering will take place amidst the political turmoil in Bolivia due, among others, to a referendum called by the flourishing Santa Cruz region to approve on May 4th its autonomous government status.

"I have convened this extraordinary ALBA summit to deal with Bolivia's problems that are about to blow up," said Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez on state-owned television channel VTV. "Both the United States government and the fascist righwing group that refuses to talk want these problems to break out. They just want to ignite war to overthrow Bolivian President (Evo) Morales."