Mexican President calls Bolivian leader 'victim of a coup d'etat'

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, on December 1, called former Bolivian counterpart Evo Morales as the “victim of a coup d'etat”. The Mexican President, nicknamed AMLO, held a rally in the central Plaza del Zocalo to celebrate his first year in office.

"Evo was the victim of a coup d'etat! And from Mexico, we tell the world, 'Yes to democracy, no to militarism!'" said AMLO. The leftist President called Morales a brother who represents, with dignity, the majority of indigenous people of Bolivia.

Read: Bolivia Appoints First Ambassador To United States In 11 Years

Iran's allegations of coup

This is not the first time that political crisis in Bolivia has been termed as a result of coup d'etat. Earlier in November, Iran accused the United States of meddling in Bolivia’s internal affairs. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Abbas Mousavi condemned any compulsory change in governments out of the framework of law and especially through foreign intervention, calling it “unacceptable”.

“Iran believes that any change should be upon people's demand, through ballot boxes and the framework of the law,” said Mousavi.

After Morales had outrightly claimed that he won the presidential elections held in October, there was popular unrest in the country that forced him to resign and leave Bolivia. "We are resigning so that the brothers and sisters in the government are not threatened or attacked," said Morales in a televised address. Jeanine Anez, Bolivia's opposition lawmaker and Senate second vice-president then took over the charge and declared herself to be the country's interim president.

Read: Bolivian Lawmakers Approve New Elections, Bar Ex-president

Evo Morales, who has accepted political asylum in Mexico, has been critical of the current leadership and accused it of massacres. Morales said that there is no rule of law in Bolivia that provides guarantees for national human rights organizations, which are besieged by fascist groups.

Call for elections

Meanwhile, on November 20, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS), at its regular meeting, adopted a resolution on the "Situation in Bolivia". It called upon the Bolivian authorities to urgently call elections as per the Constitution and law of Bolivia and “adopt an electoral schedule that gives certainty to the Bolivian people about an electoral process with full democratic guarantees.”

Read: US Suggests Evo Morales Should Stay Away From Bolivian Elections

Read: Bolivia: People Stage Protest Outside White House Against "coup & Fascist Violence"