The Bolivian government announced this Saturday (17) that it was investigating whether Brazil and Chile were involved in the clashes between protesters and security forces that took place in the country after the resignation of Evo Morales, in 2019. According to spokesperson Jorge Richter, these will be relationships that may have existed, in help and in contributions, without giving more details.
In recent days, President Luís Arce has said there was a coup in October and November of this year against the former indigenous leader, who is his mentor. The president added, adding that the initiative was supported by several US governments and NGOs – he also accuses Ecuador and Argentina of sending weapons and riot equipment.
The investigation was disclosed by Richter during a radio interview with the Coca Producers Union on the charges brought a week ago by Chancellor Rogelio Mayta against the government of former right-wing Argentine president Mauricio Macri.
Macri was accused by Mayta of aiding the provisional right-wing Janine Añez government with weapons and supplies to quell the protests. According to Richter, the government of Arce hopes that the Argentine public prosecutor will help clarify this fact and that Macri, who has denied the charges, can give details about it.
Last month, the Bolivian executive also held the Ecuadorian government of Lenín Moreno responsible for shipping munitions of war and anti-riot equipment.
The protests in 2019 began after Evo, who had presided over Bolivia since 2006, ran for a fourth term. Charges of electoral fraud and pressure from the Armed Forces and popular movements, however, forced his resignation on November 10, 2019. An investigation by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) revealed that 35 deaths had been recorded in clashes that year.
Then he hurriedly left Bolivia. After spending a few weeks in Mexico, he went to Argentina, where he was received by the government of Alberto Fernández.
Two days after Evo left, Añez came to power in a controversial legislative move, taking advantage of a loophole in Bolivian law, as all direct successors resigned following the departure of the former president.
Without meeting a quorum in either the Chamber of Deputies or the Senate, she justified that she would assume the presidency in accordance with the provisions of the Senate regulations on succession to the Chamber. According to the rules, on the resignation of the president and the first vice-president of the Senate, the regiment allowed him, second vice-president, to assume the command.
In March of this year, the former acting president of Bolivia was arrested on charges of conspiracy, sedition and terrorism within days of Evo’s resignation.