Bolivia’s Morales says shots fired at his car as political tensions rise

The erstwhile president claims it was an effort to termination him arsenic the ruling socialist enactment factions conflict for powerfulness up of 2025 polls.

Bolivia’s erstwhile President Evo Morales says shots were fired astatine his conveyance connected Sunday amid rising governmental tensions wrong the ruling socialist enactment factions. Morales and his erstwhile system curate and existent President, Luis Arce, are engaged successful a powerfulness conflict up of adjacent year’s polls.

In a vigor interview, Morales said 2 vehicles intercepted him connected the roadworthy and fired upon his car, claiming a slug passed “centimetres” from his head. “I don’t cognize if they were soldiers oregon police,” Morales said.

He added, “This was planned. The thought was to termination Evo.”

Morales, Bolivia’s archetypal Indigenous president, posted a video connected Facebook taken from wrong his moving car. The video shows him sitting successful the beforehand rider spot and reveals astatine slightest 2 slug holes successful the windshield. The operator appeared to person been injured, though was inactive driving the vehicle.

Deputy Security Minister Roberto Rios said the authorities volition analyse the alleged onslaught connected Morales, adding that constabulary ‘have not executed immoderate operation’ against the erstwhile president.

“As authorities successful complaint of authorities security, we are obliged to analyse immoderate report, whether it is existent oregon false,” Rios said.

Sunday’s incidental comes amid rising tensions with Morales’ supporters blocking highways successful cardinal Bolivia and information forces and constabulary attempting to wide them. The concern risks sparking further unrest successful a federation already facing an economical crisis.

On Saturday the authorities criticised the erstwhile president for “destabilising” the state with 2 weeks of roadworthy blockades that person disrupted the proviso of nutrient and substance nationwide. The authorities stated helium was trying to “interrupt antiauthoritarian order”.

In a connection the authorities besides claimed that immoderate groups allied with Morales were equipped and warned of imaginable violence, noting that 14 constabulary officers had been wounded portion attempting to interruption up the blockades.

At slightest 44 protesters were arrested connected Friday erstwhile much than 1,700 constabulary officers were deployed to dismantle the roadblocks. Fourteen constabulary officers were injured, according to the government.

A riot constabulary serviceman shoots a teardrop state tin astatine demonstrators supporting erstwhile president Evo Morales during a roadworthy blockade successful Cochabamba, Bolivia [File: Fernando Cartagena/AFP]

Morales, 65, who held bureau from 2006 to 2019, is the main hostile of Arce, 61. They some beryllium to the aforesaid Movement Toward Socialism (MAS) party. But the 2 leaders person clashed implicit the past year, portion of a powerfulness conflict up of the 2025 statesmanlike elections.

The state is besides grappling with dwindling state production, depleted overseas currency reserves and rising inflation, which is adding unit connected the ruling enactment and expanding governmental infighting.

Morales is besides facing allegations that helium had relationships with minors. He was formally summoned by determination prosecutors to attest successful the lawsuit but did not appear, and present faces an apprehension warrant.

Morales powerfully denies the accusations. He has described the probe against him arsenic “yet different lie” and claims helium is the unfortunate of judicial persecution led by the government.