Evo Morales resigns in Bolivia. Here’s what you need to know

Bolivia’s political crisis deepened Sunday as President Evo Morales resigned amid allegations of “serious irregularities” during last month’s election and pressure from the country’s armed forces.

Morales faced mounting protests in the aftermath of the October 20 vote as demonstrators and the Bolivian opposition accused electoral authorities of manipulating the vote count in favor of the incumbent.

He denied the allegations and declared himself the winner, but was eventually forced to resign.

In the hours after polls closed, preliminary results showed Morales slightly ahead of his opponent, former President Carlos Mesa.

But the opposition and international observers became suspicious after election officials stopped the count for about 24 hours without an explanation. When the count resumed, Morales’ lead had jumped significantly.

Electoral monitors from the Organization of American States (OAS) published a report Sunday alleging irregularities that impacted the official vote count.

In the aftermath of the report, Morales initially promise new elections would be held and the country’s electoral council replaced.

However just hours later the president had resigned after the head of the Bolivian Armed Forces, Cmdr. Williams Kaliman, asked Morales to step down in order to restore peace and stability.

Morales said he’d been forced out in a coup — a charge echoed by his allies in Latin America, including Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, and Argentinian President-elect Alberto Fernández.

However, the opposition movement denied the claims and said this was a fight for “democracy and peace.”

The US State Department is monitoring the “quickly unfolding events” in Bolivia, a US State Department spokesperson said.

Earlier, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo commended the OAS audit and said the United States supported the new election and the installation of a new electoral council.

Morales said Sunday he had no plans to leave the country, but Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said Mexico would grant Morales asylum if he requested it.

It is unclear who will be Bolivia’s next president. The officials who were next in the presidential line of succession all resigned on Sunday.

However, the second vice president of Bolivia’s senate, Jeanine Añez, said that she is the next in line to assume the presidency, and is willing to do so.

Añez, an opposition lawmaker, said that she would assume the presidency with the objective of calling for new elections.

Luis Fernando Camacho, who has become a key figure in the protest movement, could also play an important role in the future of the country.

It is unclear if Camacho will run in the next presidential elections but it is a possibility that political experts are already flagging.

Source: CNN