Morales says he has right to do politics in Bolivia

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - Bolivia's former President Evo Morales on Tuesday announced his intent to continue doing politics in his country.

"I am not a candidate, I will not be a candidate in these conditions, but I have the right to do politics," said Morales. "I am convinced that we will win the upcoming elections again."

The former leader was speaking at a press conference in Argentina, where he landed last week after being granted asylum.

Morales said the 2020 presidential election should be free from "political persecution".

The Indigenous leader said with confidence that his party, Movement for Socialism (MAS), will win the next elections, even though he will not stand as a candidate.

The interim government of Jeanine Anez has called for an election rerun next year in which Morales will not be allowed to stand as he has exceeded a constitutional limit allowing two terms of office.

However, Morales was appointed by MAS as the new campaign leader for the management of fresh elections.

Emphasizing that "a coup" was carried out against his government, he said that "there can be no free elections when the de facto government, installed after the coup d'etat, which continues to persecute MAS supporters."

He stressed "the external agents interested in the large concentration of lithium in Bolivia" were behind what he called a coup.

"We nationalized energy and water, which were previously privatized," Morales added. "We say that another world is possible without the International Monetary Fund, without outside policies."

"How long will they rule us from above and outside? When are we going to govern ourselves?" he asked.

Turmoil in Bolivia began in October, when Morales won a fourth term in office and faced immediate resistance from opposition parties that challenged election results.

Protesters took to the streets claiming the ballot was rigged.

After weeks of upheaval, Morales resigned under pressure from the military and moved to Mexico, where he was offered his first political asylum.

Conservative Senator Anez then proclaimed herself interim president.

But public demonstrations have yet to subside, with mostly rural and indigenous pro-Morales supporters taking to the streets, including in La Paz, as well as Sacaba and Cochabamba, since he left the country saying his ouster was a coup.

While a new presidential election was set for March 2020, the Anez government threatens Morales with a prison sentence if he is to return to the country.