Sept. 15 (Bloomberg) -- South American heads of state agreed to back Bolivian President Evo Morales, Chile's President Michelle Bachelet said after a six-hour meeting in Santiago.

Nine presidents from the Union of South American Nations, known as UNASUR came together today after violence in the Andean nation over the past week left as many as 30 people dead. Chile called and hosted the meeting as it holds the first rotating presidency of UNASUR, which was founded in May.

The group will send a commission to Bolivia to investigate the killings and support the government, Bachelet said.

To contact the reporters on this story: Nathan Gill in Santiago at ngill4@bloomberg.net or Sebastian Boyd in Santiago at sboyd9@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: September 15, 2008 22:49 EDT