Irish official arrives in Bolivia

An official from the Department of Foreign Affairs has arrived in Bolivia to investigate reports that an Irish man was killed as police thwarted an alleged assassination plot against the country's president.

The department says it is in contact with an Irish family and is providing consular assistance.

Three people were killed in the Bolivian city of Santa Cruz on Thursday when police moved in on a gang believed to be plotting to kill President Evo Morales.

There have been conflicting reports about the nationality of those killed.