The Bolivian judiciary has issued an arrest warrant for former head of state Evo Morales who fled the country. Morales should be picked up on charges of "terrorism" and turmoil and handed over to the La Paz public prosecutor, the Wednesday document said.
Morales described the arrest warrant in a Twitter message as "illegal, unfair and unconstitutional". He said he wasn't worried about it. He wanted to continue his "political and ideological struggle for a free and sovereign Bolivia". The 60-year-old has been in Argentina for a few days.
Morales resigned in early November under pressure from weeks of protests against the recent presidential election overshadowed by manipulation charges. He initially fled to Mexico in exile. Morales spent almost a month there, then traveled on to Cuba and finally arrived in Argentina. The new leftist president of Argentina, Alberto Fernández, sees Morales as the victim of a "coup".
Since Morales' resignation, there have been violent protests from supporters of the ex-head of state, who was the first indigenous president to head the South American country for 14 years. Dozens of people were killed in the riots.
The Argentine host places conditions on Morales
There had already been speculation that Morales wanted to settle in Argentina after the change of government in Buenos Aires. There he is closer to his home country and can better coordinate with his supporters of the left-wing movement MAS before the planned new election next year.
However, the new Argentine government also imposes conditions on its prominent guest. "We want Evo Morales to commit to not making political statements in Argentina," said the Foreign Minister. So far, the Bolivian ex-president has given his opinion on the situation in his home several times a day on Twitter.
