BUENOS AIRES, Dec 12 — Bolivian ex-president Evo Morales arrived today in Argentina where he will be granted refugee status, Argentina’s new Foreign Minister Felipe Sola said.
Morales was granted asylum to travel to Argentina and had made the request for refugee status to stay, Sola said on news channel TN.
The arrival of Morales, who resigned after his government collapsed in November in the wake of a disputed election, comes just two days after new Argentine President Alberto Fernandez was inaugurated.
Fernandez said there had been a “coup” against Morales when he resigned.
“We want a commitment from Evo Morales not to make political statements in Argentina,” Sola said, adding that four other people had also requested asylum.
Morales resigned as president on Nov. 10 after the Organization of American States (OAS) declared there were serious irregularities during the Oct. 20 election, prompting political allies to quit and the army to urge him to step down.
Morales had previously been in Mexico where he was granted asylum after his resignation. He travelled to Cuba last week for a medical appointment, a former official from his government told Reuters at the time.
“I had a conversation yesterday with Evo Morales who informed me of his decision to move to Buenos Aires. He thanked the generosity of the people and government of Mexico,” Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard tweeted today.
Sola said there was no meeting planned between Morales and Fernandez, but they could talk on the phone. — Reuters
