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Bolivian president Evo Morales resigns after election result dispute Bolivian president Evo Morales resigns after election result dispute
(about 2 hours later)
President quits after nearly 14 years in power, hours after promising fresh electionsPresident quits after nearly 14 years in power, hours after promising fresh elections
Bolivia’s president, Evo Morales, is to resign after the military called for him to step down and allies fell away following a fierce backlash over his disputed re-election. Evo Morales has announced he will resign as president of Bolivia after the military called for him to step down and the police withdrew their support following weeks of unrest over disputed election results.
Morales, the leader for nearly 14 years, said in televised comments that he would submit his resignation letter to help restore stability, though he aimed barbs at what he called a “civic coup.” In a televised address, Bolivia’s president of nearly 14 years said he was stepping down for the “good of the country” but added in an attack on opponents whom he had accused of a coup attempt: “Dark forces have destroyed democracy.”
The head of Bolivia’s armed forces earlier on Sunday said the military had asked Morales to step down after weeks of protests over his victory in the 20 October presidential election. His announcement came shortly after the commander-in-chief of the Bolivian armed forces, Williams Kaliman, exhorted him to resign his “presidential mandate allowing the pacification and maintenance of stability for the good of Bolivia.”
“We suggest the president of the state renounce his presidential mandate, allowing peace to be restored and the stability maintained for the good of our Bolivia,” said Gen Williams Kaliman, the commander of Bolivia’s armed forces. “Likewise, we ask the Bolivian people and mobilised sectors to shed attitudes of violence and disorder among brothers so as not to stain our families with blood, pain and mourning.” In Bolivia’s main city of La Paz people poured onto the streets waving the country’s red, yellow and green flags. Morales’ vice president, Alvaro García Linera, also resigned.
Earlier on Sunday, Morales agreed to hold new elections after a report from the Organization of American States (OAS), which conducted an audit of last month’s vote, revealed serious irregularities. Earlier on Sunday, Morales said he would call a new election after the Organisation of American States identified serious irregularities in the last vote and recommended a new ballot.
The OAS report said the vote should be annulled after it had found “clear manipulations” of the voting system that called into question Morales’ win. He had a lead of just over 10 points over his main rival Carlos Mesa. A preliminary report based on the OAS audit of the vote said it had found “clear manipulations” of the voting system and it could not verify a first-round victory for Morales.
Carlos Mesa, the runner up candidate in the disputed election, tweeted: “I will never forget this singular day. The end of tyranny. I am grateful as a Bolivia for this historic lesson.” Earlier on Sunday, Mesa said Morales and García Linera should be disqualified from participating in new elections as they had committed fraud.
The weeks-long standoff over the disputed election escalated over the weekend as police forces were seen joining anti-government protests.
At least three people have died in the unrest which began on 20 October, the day of the election, and more than 300 people have been injured in clashes between anti-government protesters and Morales supporters.