Nearshore Americas
Evo Morales

Bolivia Seeks Detention of Former President Evo Morales

The Bolivian government is seeking the detention of Evo Morales, the country’s former president currently exiled in Argentina, accusing him of sedition and terrorism.

Morales fled his country last month after violence broke out following his re-election in the presidential election held in October this year. There was widespread suspicion that his party had rigged the election in his favor.

Soon an investigation by the Organization of American States (OAS) found ‘clear evidence’ of vote-rigging. Morales has now been barred from contesting the next presidential election likely to take place sometime in 2020.

Evo Morales has described the arrest warrant as unconstitutional and illegal. “I’m not worried, as long as I’m alive, I’ll continue with greater strength in the political and ideological struggle for a free and sovereign Bolivia,” he tweeted.

The former trade union leader ruled the South American country for more than 14 years.  He was, in fact, not eligible to run for a fourth consecutive term.

In the 2016 referendum, Bolivians had overwhelmingly rejected his plans to drop the limit of term numbers that Bolivians could serve. But Morales took the case to the country’s constitutional court, which scrapped presidential term limits, paving the way for him to run for president again.

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Narayan Ammachchi

News Editor for Nearshore Americas, Narayan Ammachchi is a career journalist with a decade of experience in politics and international business. He works out of his base in the Indian Silicon City of Bangalore.

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