MOSCOW, November 12. /TASS/. The government of Mexico resolved to grant political asylum to Evo Morales, who earlier resigned from the post of the Bolivian president, because his life is in danger, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Monday.
"The Foreign Ministry of Mexico <...> made the decision to grant political asylum to Mr. Evo Morales for humanitarian concerns," he told reporters.
"President Evo Morales has just called me to accept our proposal. He officially requested asylum from us," the minister added.
According to the Mexican foreign ministry, "the live and health of Morales are under threat" if he remains in Bolivia.
"We have already turned to the Foreign Ministry of Bolivia so that Morales was guaranteed safe passage in line with the international norms," Ebrard said.
Meanwhile, Argentina's president-elect Alberto Fernandez said that, according to his information, President of Peru Martin Vizcarra agreed to open the country’s airspace for the plane to take Morales to Mexico.
"I express my gratitude to President of Peru Martin Vizcarra, because he made the decision to open airspace for a Mexican plane, so that it could take Evo [Morales]," he said.
According to Fernandez, Vizcarra also "took diplomatic measures to facilitate the arrival of this plane."
"We are still waiting for its arrival, but I hope it to arrive as soon as possible," said the politician, who will be sworn in as president on December 10.
He also thanked Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador for his decision to grant political asylum to Morales. According to Fernandez, President of Paraguay Mario Abdo Benitez was also ready to shelter Morales.
Moralez calls to refrain from violence
Meanwhile, Moralez, who said on Monday he was forced to resign amid threats and described the latest events in his country as a coup, urged his country’s citizens to refrain from violence and solve all political differences through dialogue.
"I ask my people to take care of peace, to treat it with great caution and respect and not to let the country plunge into violence with the groups that are seeking to eradicate the rule of law," he said in a Twitter post. "We cannot afford a confrontation between the Bolivian brothers to begin. I call for solving any differences through dialogue and consultations."
Earlier in the day, Morales said that "coupists, who attacked my house and the house of my sister, set buildings on fire and threatened ministers and their children with violence <...> are now lying and trying to make us responsible for the chaos and violence that they themselves provoked."
ALBA response
Member states of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) denounced the events in Bolivia, describing it as a state coup in a statement, released by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza via Twitter.
"ALBA condemns the state coup in the Plurinational State of Bolivia and demands to respect civil rights, freedom and physical integrity of President Evo Morales," the statement says.
The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America is an association of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, which was established on December 14, 2004, at the initiative of late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Cuban revolutionary leader Fidel Castro. The Alliance’s members include Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Lucia, Grenada, Dominica and Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Trump hails resignation of Morales
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump hailed the resignation of Morales as "a significant moment for democracy in the Western Hemisphere."
"After nearly 14 years and his recent attempt to override the Bolivian constitution and the will of the people, Morales’s departure preserves democracy and paves the way for the Bolivian people to have their voices heard," Trump said in a statement, released by the White House.
"The United States applauds the Bolivian people for demanding freedom and the Bolivian military for abiding by its oath to protect not just a single person, but Bolivia’s constitution," he continued. "These events send a strong signal to the illegitimate regimes in Venezuela and Nicaragua that democracy and the will of the people will always prevail."
"We are now one step closer to a completely democratic, prosperous, and free Western Hemisphere," Trump said.
Bolivian crisis
On November 10, Bolivian President Evo Morales announced his resignation, branding the recent developments as a coup d’etat. He stepped down following the demands of the country’s armed forces, opposition and trade unions.
Bolivia's presidential election was held on October 20. The country's Supreme Electoral Court declared that incumbent President Evo Morales won the first round. His main rival, former President Carlos Mesa, said that he did not recognize Morales' victory. After the results of the election were announced, protests and strikes erupted across the South American country. Morales declared a state of emergency and accused the opposition of attempting to stage a coup.
The authorities of Cuba, Venezuela and Mexico as well as Argentina’s newly-elected President Alberto Fernandez have also slammed recent developments as a coup.