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Bolivian President Evo Morales resigns amid fraud poll protests | Bolivian President Evo Morales resigns amid fraud poll protests |
(32 minutes later) | |
Bolivian President Evo Morales has resigned amid turmoil following his disputed re-election last month. | Bolivian President Evo Morales has resigned amid turmoil following his disputed re-election last month. |
On Sunday, international monitors called for the election result to be annulled, saying they had found "clear manipulations" of the 20 October poll. | |
Mr Morales agreed with the findings and announced his intention to call fresh elections - after overhauling the country's election body. | Mr Morales agreed with the findings and announced his intention to call fresh elections - after overhauling the country's election body. |
But politicians - and the army and police chiefs - had urged him to quit. | |
In a televised address, Mr Morales said: "I resign my post as president." | In a televised address, Mr Morales said: "I resign my post as president." |
His Vice-President, Alvaro Garcia Linera, also resigned. | |
Protesters took to the streets to celebrate, chanting "yes we could" and setting off fire crackers. | |
How did we get here? | |
Bolivia has been rattled by weeks of anti-government protests, following reports of election fraud in the presidential election. | |
At least three people died during clashes. Some uniformed police officers also joined the protesters. | |
On Sunday, the Organization of American States (OAS), which monitored the elections, said it had found evidence of wide-scale data manipulation, and could not certify the result of the previous polls. | |
Pressure continued to build on Mr Morales during the day, as several of his political allies resigned, some citing fears for the safety of their families. | |
The army chief, General Williams Kaliman, also urged Mr Morales to resign "to allow for pacification and the maintaining of stability". | |
The military also said it would conduct operations to "neutralise" any armed groups that attacked the protesters. | |
Mr Morales announced his resignation shortly afterwards, saying: "I ask you to stop attacking the brothers and sisters, stop burning and attacking." |