Evo Morales Ayma fled Bolivia on November 10, 2019, following weeks of violent protests.
The former coca farmer was the country's first indigenous President. Two-thirds of Bolivia’s population are from indigenous communities. Bolivia has vast mineral resources, including the much-in-demand Lithium.
Morales won his first election when a ‘pink tide’ of socialist govts took power in several South American countries. He has been elected president in every elections since 2005.
He drew criticism when he ran for a fourth term in the October 2019 election getting judicial sanction to circumvent Bolivia's 3-term constitutional limit.
Morales was declared winner of the October 20 election. The Organization of American States alleged widespread poll fraud in an audit report. The result was called into question and in response, Morales called for fresh elections. But the opposition led by ex-President Carlos Mesa, who came second in the vote, rejected the offer.
The chief of the armed forces, General Williams Kaliman, then urged Morales to step down. He resigned and fled to Mexico seeking asylum. Since all four officials who are next in line, including the Vice-President had resigned, Senator Jeanine Anez declared herself interim President in Congress on November 12 despite lack of consensus on her appointment.
