Former
Bolivian President Evo Morales has applied for refugee status in Argentina
instead of political asylum after arriving in the country. This was announced on Thursday by the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the South American Republic.
"Morales and the ex-Minister of Health of
Bolivia Gabriela] Montagno signed the relevant petition upon arrival at Ezeiza
airport, and will receive this status in the near future," the statement
said.
Morales, who was granted political asylum in
Mexico after resigning as president, and Montagno arrived in Buenos Aires on
Thursday morning. Prior to their
arrival, the Argentine government granted them and three other former members
of the Morales administration political asylum.
According to Argentinean legislation, refugees
have the same rights as any foreign citizen who has received a residence permit
in Argentina. The law does not say that
a refugee cannot engage in political activities, but earlier the head of the
Foreign Ministry of Argentina, Felipe Sola, said that the government of the republic
asked Morales "to commit to not make political statements from the
territory of Argentina." On
December 7, the ex-president of Bolivia announced that the Movement to
Socialism party had appointed him the head of the headquarters of a political
candidate in the upcoming presidential election.
Presidential elections were held in Bolivia on
October 20. According to the Supreme
Electoral Court, Morales, the current head of state, received the majority of
the votes. His main rival, Carlos Mesa,
said he did not recognize the opponent’s victory in the first round.
After
three weeks of protests, Morales resigned, describing the situation as a
coup. His example was followed by Vice
President Alvaro Garcia Linera and speakers from both houses of parliament,
who, according to the constitution, were next in line to accept the powers of
the head of state. The second vice
speaker of the Senate House, Janine Agnes, representing the opposition,
announced that she will assume the duties of the president until new elections
and appoint her own cabinet.
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