Former Bolivian Vice President Arrived in Argentina and Asks for Refuge
Álvaro García Linera requested refugee status, one day after former president Evo Morales did, overthrown just over a month ago.
Former Bolivian Vice President Álvaro García Linera arrived in Argentina and requested refugee status, one day after former president Evo Morales did, overthrown just over a month ago.
García Linera arrived at the Ezeiza airport last night, hours after Morales himself did, sources from the Argentine Foreign Ministry informed and he formalized the request for refugee status, which is being processed by the National Refugee Commission (CONARE).
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The arrival of Morales and Garcia Linera came two days after the inauguration of President Alberto Fernández, who supported the statement of the former president that he suffered a coup d’etat and he also participated in the efforts that allowed them both to leave Bolivia safely with asylum granted by Mexico on November 12.
The former head of state arrived at the International Airport of the Buenos Aires (Ezeiza) accompanied by his former Foreign Minister Diego Pary Rodríguez, who was Minister of Health, and the former Bolivian ambassador to the United Nations, Sacha Llorenti, has also arrived in Argentina and requested refugee protection.
Foreign Minister Felipe Solá said that the five Bolivian citizens, once they entered the country, “signed a request for refugee protection, which is a condition other than asylum.”
In this sense, Solá clarified that while asylum is only granted to people with extradition requests from other countries, the refuge is for those who “cannot have security” in their own country”, in statements to the radio Subway. And he reiterated that the Argentine law (but also international law) does not prohibit the refugee from making political statements, such as those made by Morales through the Twitter social network like those he made about the president of the de facto Bolivian government, Jeanine Áñez.
Se confirma que el gobierno de facto solicitó desembolsar "en la fecha" (10 de diciembre) un crédito de liquidez por un valor de Bs 2.800 millones. El gobierno de Áñez, Camacho y Mesa, confirma la deuda interna para sueldos y aguinaldos, con esta carta: pic.twitter.com/FpLXwgcTeB
— Evo Morales Ayma (@evoespueblo) December 13, 2019
Solá said that the five former Bolivian officials, including Morales, chose to leave Mexico and travel to Argentina because everyone has family and friends in the South American country.” And secondly, because Evo Morales will want to go to his country at some point and intervene in politics,” he added.
The Argentine Foreign Minister reiterated that President Fernández does not recognize the government of Áñez, who has called elections in Bolivia, but still has no set date.
“We do not recognize the current Bolivian government. It is a de facto government but we do recognize that there must be elections,” said Solá.
Source URL: Telam (Argentine Public News Agency)
Translated by JRE/EF
