Bolivia Evo Morales thanks those who saved his life, the focus of his new book

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – “I am very grateful. Not only did they save my life, they took care of me, they fed me,” Morales said at the presentation of “Evo: operación rescate,” (Evo: operation rescue), a book by Spaniard Alfredo Serrano Mancilla which has just been published.

Presented at the Mexican embassy in Buenos Aires, the book recounts Morales’ turbulent departure from the Bolivian government in November 2019, his trip to Mexico and Argentina and his return to his country a year later.

President of Bolivia between 2006 and 2019, Morales insisted that he was the victim of a coup d’état, reiterated that he left the government and his country on November 11, 2019 to safeguard his and his collaborators’ lives and prevent a greater massacre in Bolivia, and stated that the coup plotters “are now sorry” that they did not kill him.

Morales said that it is in “difficult times” that people are known and thanked them not only for saving his life, but also for saving democracy in Bolivia.

FERNÁNDEZ RECALLS EVENTS

Argentine president Alberto Fernández also attended the book presentation, who in November 2019, already elected president but not yet in office, coordinated efforts with other countries to help Morales leave Bolivia alive.

Fernández recalled the events of those days, he especially thanked the presidents of Paraguay, Mario Abdo Benítez, who allowed the plane that left La Paz with Morales to land in Asunción; and Mexico’s Manuel López Obrador, who granted Morales asylum in the country, where he stayed for a month until December 12, 2019, when he traveled to Argentina to stay for a year before returning to Bolivia.

“Evo was not saved by Alberto Fernández or López Obrador. We were the instruments of the people’s will to take care of him and help him out,” Fernández said at the book presentation before an audience that included former Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa (2007-2017), among others.

“Evo, Argentina is your home. We love you, we respect you, we value you. We are your brothers. I personally admire your wisdom,” said the Argentine president to the former Bolivian leader.

TRIBUTE TO “GOOD PEOPLE”

The book’s author Serrano Mancilla in November 2019 mediated the rescue of Morales, of then Health Minister Gabriela Montaño and then Bolivian Vice President Álvaro García Linares, who also participated in the book launch on Thursday.

According to Alberto Fernández, “it is a wonderfully written book” by a “witness” of the facts.

“This book is a tribute to good people. There were many good people around so that Evo, Álvaro and Gabi would come out alive,” the author said, stressing that the Argentine president “took a gamble” to save Morales’ life.