Ex-Bolivian President Morales Seeks International Assistance To Come Back To Bolivia

MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st November, 2019) Former Bolivian President Evo Morales on Wednesday asked international mediators for assistance in returning from Mexico, where he was granted political asylum, to Bolivia.

Earlier in the day, the Wall Street Journal published an interview with Morales, where he said that an alliance between right-wing domestic opponents and the United States posed the greatest obstacle for his return to Bolivia

"I ask international mediators to help me return to the country, we intend to hold a dialogue," Morales said during a press conference in Mexico City.

Bolivia plunged into crisis following the presidential election on October 20, which saw Morales secure his fourth term in the first round. However, the opposition refused to accept the vote results, citing alleged irregularities in the vote-counting process, which were subsequently confirmed by the OAS.

On November 10, the Bolivian military urged Morales to step down for the sake of the country's stability. As a result, he resigned the same day and left for Mexico after being granted political asylum. Bolivia's highest-ranking officials resigned as well. Meanwhile, Jeanine Anez, the opposition deputy speaker of the upper house, declared herself the country's interim president. The Bolivian Constitutional Court has recognized her claim as legitimate.

Morales' departure, however, did not help stabilize the situation. On Friday, coca farmers supporting the former president took to the streets of the central department of Cochabamba to protest against interim president Anez. Morales has condemned the events in Cochabamba as "carnage."