Bolivian President Evo Morales announcing his resignation in El Alto |
Sucre, BOLIVIA
Bolivian
President Evo Morales has announced he will step down in a televised speech.
The decision comes hours after an OAS investigation into his re-election last
month found irregularities.
Following an election
backlash, Bolivian President Evo Morales announced on Sunday he had submitted
his letter of resignation to parliament after the military, police and opposition suggested
he step down.
The commander-in-chief of the
armed forces, Williams Kaliman, and police chief Vladimir Calderon Mariscal
both appeared on camera to call on Morales to resign in order to foster peace
earlier on Sunday.
"Our great desire is for
societal peace for return," said Morales in his televised remarks. Vice
President Alvaro Garcia Linera also announced his resignation.
"I ask you to stop
attacking the brothers and sisters, stop burning and attacking," Morales told
the Bolivian people.
The 60-year-old also aimed
criticism at what he called the "civic coup" which led to
his resignation. Morales ally and Senate President Adriana Salvaterria
later said she too would step down shortly after the president.
Morales later tweeted
that a police officer had told him they were in possession of an
"illegal" warrant for his arrest and that his home had been attacked
by violent groups.
But police
commander Yuri Calderon denied that authorities were
seeking Morales, saying that such reports were "fake news."
Earlier on Sunday, Morales
announced new elections and several members of his Cabinet and
other allies stood down. In addition, Supreme Court Electoral Tribunal
President Maria Eugenia Choque also announced her resignation.
Bolivia has seen weeks of
unrest and rioting, resulting in three deaths and hundreds of people
injured, in the wake
of the disputed October 20 election.
The Organization of American
States called for a fresh vote earlier on Sunday following an audit of
October's election. They concluded that there were
irregularities in the vote.
Speaking prior to Morales'
resignation, army chief Kaliman said: "We suggest the president of the
state renounce his presidential mandate, allowing peace to be restored and
stability maintained for the good of our Bolivia."
Following the news, Venzuela's
socialist president, Nicolas Maduro, tweeted that he "condemns
categorically the coup" against Morales.
Another
Morales ally, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, also described the resignation
as a coup. He called on the world to "mobilize for Evo's life and
freedom."
The Mexican foreign minister
also rejected the "coup" and tweeted that his country would offer
asylum to Morales if he wants it.
"Mexico, in accordance
with its tradition of asylum and non-intervention, has received 20 people from
the Bolivian executive and legislature at the official residence in La Paz, so
we would also offer asylum to Evo Morales," wrote Marcelo Ebrard.
The governments of Chile and
Peru issued statements calling for peace in Bolivia.
In power since 2006, Morales
was Latin America's longest-serving leader.
He was also the first
indigenous leader of a Latin American country. He began his career as an
activist for coca leaf growers.
The left-wing leader was
initially very popular and oversaw great economic growth in Bolivia. A two-term
limit is in place in Bolivia, which Morales
overturned in the courts by arguing that this was a violation
of his human rights.
In recent years, his
increasingly authoritarian leadership style met opposition from the populace.
His resignation has been greeted with celebrations in La Paz by
protesters. - Africa
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