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Morales calls warrant for his arrest illegal

Earlier, he announced his resignation as president of Bolivia
Bolivian President Evo Morales AP Photo/Juan Karita
Bolivian President Evo Morales
© AP Photo/Juan Karita

BUENOS AIRES, November 11. / TASS /. Evo Morales, who announced his resignation as president of Bolivia, on Sunday called the arrest warrant issued by the police illegal.

"I’m telling the whole world and the Bolivian people that one of the police officers publicly announced that he had been given instructions for my detention, according to the illegal warrant that he received," Morales twitted. He also said that "an aggressive group of people attacked his house."

Earlier, the leader of opposition protest rallies Luis Fernando Camacho confirmed that a warrant has been issued for Morales' arrest. "It's confirmed! A warrant has been issued for the detention of Morales! The police and the military are looking for him in Chapare," Camacho twitted.

Morales and his Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera announced their resignations. "We are resigning so that our brothers and sisters, civil servants, are not subjected to attacks and threats," Morales said in an appeal that was broadcast on social networks. Morales called the current situation a coup d'etat. "Brothers and sisters, I want to tell you that our struggle is not ending, we will continue to fight for equality and peace," he added. "Now my duty as president is to find a way to calm the situation," Morales said. Earlier, the Armed Forces of Bolivia asked the president to resign. The opposition and trade unions made the same appeal.

According to the Bolivian constitution, the next in line in the event of the resignation of the president and vice president are the chairperson of the Senate and the head of the Chamber of Deputies, but Adriana Salvatierra Arriaza and Victor Borda also resigned. The further order is not spelled out in Bolivian laws; however, the second vice-speaker of the Senate, Janine Agnes, said that she would assume the duties of an interim president, so she will become the chairperson of the upper house after Salvatierra’s resignation and the resignation of her first deputy.

Presidential election were held in Bolivia on October 20. According to information published by the High Electoral Court, the incumbent head of state Morales won them. His main rival, ex-president Carlos Mesa, said he would not recognize Morales' victory in the first round. After the announcement of the results of the will in Bolivia, protests and strikes began. Morales imposed a state of emergency and accused the opposition of trying to organize a coup.

On Sunday, the Organization of American States published a report stating that its experts who were involved in verifying the results of the counting of votes could not confirm these results, and called for a second vote. After that, Morales announced the preparation of new elections and changes in the composition of the High Electoral Court.