Bolivia’s president quits amid claims he was forced out in a coup
Bolivia’s leader, Evo Morales, stepped down on Sunday after three weeks of political protests and violence.
“I resign my post as president,” Mr Morales announced on television at the end of a frantic day when support for Latin America’s longest-serving leader crumbled.
“I ask you to stop attacking the brothers and sisters – stop burning and attacking,” he said.
The announcement sparked celebrations in the streets, with people setting off fireworks and honking car horns.
Mr Morales’s decision followed a public backlash about a disputed election last month and a call by the head of the country’s military for him to step down.
“After analysing the situation of internal conflict, we ask the president to resign, allowing peace to be restored and stability to be maintained for the good of our Bolivia,” Gen Williams Kaliman said on Sunday.
Mr Morales, the first member of Bolivia’s Indigenous community to become president, claimed to have won a fourth term last month, setting off protests in which three people died and more than 100 were injured.
Earlier on Sunday, Mr Morales accepted calls for a new election by an Organisation of American States team that found a “heap of observed irregularities” in the October 20 contest. The official result showed him getting just enough votes to avoid a run-off against a united opposition.
Cuba described Mr Morales’s resignation as a coup. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla said Cuba “expresses solidarity with its brother, President Evo Morales”, and said he was “a protagonist and a symbol of the rights of the Indigenous peoples of our Americas”.
Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard said his country would offer asylum to Mr Morales should he ask for it.
Mr Morales’s decision followed a public backlash about a disputed election that was held last month
There was no indication that Mr Morales had sought asylum.
In a tweet, Mr Ebrard said: “Mexico will maintain its position of respect for democracy and institutions. Coup no.”
Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of UK opposition Labour Party, also described the resignation as a coup.
Yesterday, Russia – also an ally of Mr Morales – said violent action by the opposition had forced the Bolivian leader out, while UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called for restraint from all sides.