RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Evo Morales is already in Argentina. The former president of Bolivia arrived in the South American country on a flight from Cuba, just before 11 AM. His entry was recorded as a political asylee, but he is expected to immediately apply for refugee status.
“Refuge is granted by the Interior Ministry and is regulated,” said Felipe Solá, Argentina’s new foreign minister. Solá told TN broadcaster that refugee regulations contain a number of rules, including a commitment by Morales not to make political statements while in the country.
The ex-president resigned last month, pressured by the opposition and the army after an audit by the Organization of American States detected “serious irregularities” in the elections held on October 20th.
Morales declared himself the first-round winner of the elections despite suspicions that prompted the recount and was ready to begin a fourth term when a popular uprising, led by the conservative opposition, and an unusual recommendation by the head of the armed forces led him into exile.
The Bolivian leader initially took refuge in his electoral fiefdom in Cochabamba. He then flew to Mexico, which granted him political asylum, on a convoluted trip aboard a Mexican Air Force plane that had to stop over in Asunción (Paraguay) because Peru prohibited him from flying over its territory.
Two of Morales’ sons, Evaliz and Álvaro, traveled to Argentina on November 23rd on a commercial flight and as tourists.
The ex-president immediately voiced his desire to meet with them and establish himself in Argentina, a country bordering Bolivia where it is easier to keep in touch with members of his party, the Movement for Socialism, which will take part in the upcoming elections, which have not yet been scheduled.
Alberto Fernández, even when only the president-elect of Argentina, assured Evo Morales that he would offer him refuge as soon as he took office. Fernández took office last Tuesday. Two days later, after a brief visit to Cuba, Morales arrived in the country.
At the moment, there is no meeting scheduled between Fernández and Morales.
Source: El Pais