BUENOS AIRES, November 24. /TASS/. Bolivia’s interim President Jeanine Anez said on Sunday she has signed a parliament-approved bill on new general elections.
"We feel we have done what we must do. My government’s mission is to organize new elections as soon as possible," she said during the signing ceremony that was telecast by the Bolivia TV channel.
The document cancels the results of the October 20 voting and envisages the appointment of new judges of Bolivia’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal within 20 days after its enforcement. The judges will have two days to appoint the voting date.
Both chambers of Bolivia’s parliament on November 23 approved the interim government’s bill on a special and transitional period for holding general elections. According to Anez, it took quite an effort to reach consensus to adopt the document unanimously.
Bolivia held a presidential election on October 20. The Supreme Electoral Court proclaimed Evo Morales the winner. His main rival, Carlos Mesa, refused to recognize the outcome of the first round. A wave of protests began.
The army, the opposition and the trade unions urged Morales to step down. On November 10, he said he was leaving but at the same time described the events as a government coup. Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera, Senate speaker Adriana Salvatierra and speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Victor Borda, who were to take over interim presidency under the constitution, also stepped down.
On November 12, Morales arrived in Mexico, whose authorities granted him political asylum. On the same day, the Senate’s second deputy speaker, Jeanine Anez, declared she was taking over as interim president. The Constitutional Court upheld the transition of power.