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Agence France-Presse

A deputy senate speaker proclaimed herself Bolivia’s new interim president Tuesday as Evo Morales’ opponents sought to end civil turmoil and fill the power vacuum left by his abrupt resignation as president.
Lawmakers had been summoned to formalise Sunday’s resignation and confirm Jeanine Anez, 52, as interim president.
Instead, Anez declared herself interim president when the session failed to reach a quorum of lawmakers, many staying away amid continuing protests by Morales supporters, in which seven people had died, according to the attorney general.
Although lawmakers did not reach a quorum, the Constitutional Court later endorsed her appointment.




“We want to call new elections as soon as possible,” Anez said in a speech to Congress, with only Morales opponents present.
“It’s a commitment we have made to the country and of course, we will fulfil it,” she said.
Later, clutching a bible and wearing the presidential sash over her black jacket, the senator addressed supporters from the balcony of the government palace.
Anez said earlier Tuesday she was confident that enough senators would reach the Senate to form a quorum – 19 of the 36 were needed to do so.

Morales, tweeting from exile in Mexico, immediately condemned what he called “the sneakiest, most nefarious coup in history.”
Morales called Anez “a coup-mongering right-wing senator” and said she had “declared herself … interim president without a legislative quorum, surrounded by a group of accomplices.”
Leaders of the biggest party, Morales’ Movement for Socialism (MAS) had requested guarantees to be able to attend the session, but stayed away.
Exile for Bolivia’s ex-leader Evo Morales as Mexico grants asylum
Security forces fired tear gas in street clashes in La Paz immediately after the Congress session.
Carlos Mesa, the centrist candidate defeated by Morales in the tainted October 20 presidential elections, tweeted his congratulations to Anez, who has promised a new government would be installed by January 22.
Powerful opposition figure Luis Fernandez Camacho, regional leader in eastern department of Santa Cruz, announced he had lifted strikes and blockades called three weeks ago in protest at Morales’ disputed re-election.
Morales resigned after losing the support of the military, leaving the country suddenly rudderless. Dozens of officials and ministers also stepped down, some seeking refuge in foreign embassies.
Anez found herself next in line to take over after the resignations of vice-president Alvaro Garcia Linera, the Senate president, and the speaker of the lower house of Congress.
Election violence erupts near Bolivia’s presidential palace

Earlier Tuesday, Morales vowed to continue “the struggle” after arriving in Mexico where he has been granted political asylum.
Morales thanked left-wing ally and Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, saying “he saved my life,” and vowed to remain in politics despite having left his homeland.
Grinning and waving as he left the Mexican military plane that had picked him up from Bolivia late on Monday night, Morales was welcomed by Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard.
Morales said in a speech that he was victim of a “coup”, and defended his record on improving living conditions for poor and indigenous Bolivians.
He said “there will only be peace when social justice is achieved for all.”
Bolivia’s president denounces ‘coup’ attempt as he claims election victory

On Monday, the armed forces pledged to help police take back the streets from violent groups that have wreaked havoc since the controversial October 20 election that saw Morales win an unconstitutional fourth term.
Security forces deployed in La Paz on Tuesday, where Morales supporters marched through the Centre to congregate in San Francisco Square near the Congress.
Burning barricades manned by opposition protesters were also preventing access to the Congress.
– Mexico steps in –
Morales asked left-wing ally Mexico for asylum and was whisked away on a military plane, along with his son and Garcia Linera. It made a stop in Paraguay to refuel and file a flight path to Mexico.
The crisis touched off by Morales’s resignation on Sunday – after three weeks of protests over his disputed re-election – deepened on Monday as gangs unhappy with his departure attacked police stations and civilians, triggering panic in the streets.
Why the world’s highest capital could be in trouble
Three people have died in clashes since the election.
Morales, 60, a former coca farmer who was Bolivia’s first indigenous president, said his opposition rivals, Mesa and Luis Fernando Camacho, “will go down in history as racists and coup plotters.”
He was Latin America’s longest serving leader until Sunday.
Morales had initially tried to hold onto power and call new elections following an Organisation of American States audit that found “irregularities” in virtually every area reviewed and questioned “the integrity of the election results.”


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Ousted Bolivia leader Evo Morales begins Mexico exile as senator steps into presidency to end power vacuum

Evo Morales waves upon his arrival at the airport in Mexico City on Tuesday. Photo: Xinhua

Bolivian opposition leader and senator Jeanine Anez Chavez speaks during a news conference following Bolivia's former president Evo Morales' exit out of the country, in La Paz, Bolivia, November 12, 2019. REUTERS/Marco Bello

Riot police patrol the surroundings of the San Pedro prison during a riot in demand of the resignation of prisons' director Ernesto Vergara in La Paz on November 12, 2019. - Bolivia's Evo Morales was en route to exile in Mexico on Tuesday, leaving behind a country in turmoil after his abrupt resignation as president. The senator set to succeed Morales as interim president, Jeanine Anez, pledged to call fresh elections to end the political crisis. (Photo by AIZAR RALDES / AFP)

Supporters of Bolivian ex-President Evo Morales protest in La Paz on November 12, 2019, after he left in exile to Mexico. - Bolivia's Evo Morales was en route to exile in Mexico on Tuesday, leaving behind a country in turmoil after his abrupt resignation as president. The senator set to succeed Morales as interim president, Jeanine Anez, pledged to call fresh elections to end the political crisis. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP)

Bolivians celebrate after leader Evo Morales heeds military’s call to resign, leaving presidency in limbo

A broken portrait of former Bolivia's President Evo Morales, who resigned on Sunday. Photo: AP

General Vladimir Yuri Calderon informs in a press conference that the General Attorney's Office of Bolivia has opened an investigation into the seven members of the Supreme Electoral Tribunal after an OAS audit found serious irregularities that put in question the integrity of the recent vote, at the Police headquarters in La Paz on November 10, 2019. - opposition leaders had accused the Supreme Electoral Tribunal of rigging the count in the October 20 elections in favour of President Evo Morales. The Bolivian leader announced Sunday he was calling fresh elections after the OAS audit. (Photo by Aizar RALDES / AFP)

A demonstrator shouts during a protest against Bolivia's President Evo Morales in La Paz, Bolivia, November 10, 2019. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins

Bolivia's President Evo Morales, center, speaks during a press conference at the military base in El Alto, Bolivia, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2019. Hours later Morales announced his resignation under mounting pressure from the military and the public after his re-election victory triggered weeks of fraud allegations and deadly protests. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

Bolivia’s president agrees to fresh elections after damning audit, mass protests

People shout slogans during a protest against Bolivia's President Evo Morales in La Paz. Photo: Reuters

Handout photo released by the Bolivian Presidency of Bolivian President Evo Morales speaking during a press conference in El Alto, on November 9, 2019. - Police in three Bolivian cities joined anti-government protests Friday, in one case marching with demonstrators in La Paz, in the first sign security forces are withdrawing support from President Evo Morales after a disputed election that has triggered riots. (Photo by HO / Bolivian Presidency / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / BOLIVIAN PRESIDENCY " - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS - DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS

Demonstrators with makeshift shields protest against President Evo Morales' reelection, in La Paz, Bolivia, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. Growing dissension in police ranks posed a new threat to Morales, who claimed victory after the Oct. 20 vote but has since faced protests in which three people have been killed and hundreds injured. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

Demonstrators shut down the facilities of the state-run Bolivia TV and Radio Patria Nueva during a protest against Bolivia's President Evo Morales in La Paz, Bolivia, November 9, 2019. REUTERS/Manuel Claure NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES

Police officers standing on the rooftop of a security booth at a police station wave Bolivian flags in front of protesters in La Paz, Bolivia, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2019. Growing dissension in police ranks posed a new threat to President Evo Morales, who claimed victory after the Oct. 20 vote but has since faced protests in which three people have been killed and hundreds injured. (AP Photo/Juan Karita)

epa07985138 Citizens cheer the bus caravan that was attacked while heading to La Paz in support of marches against the President of Bolivia Evo Morales, as it returns to Oruro, Bolivia, 09 November 2019. A caravan of buses that was heading to La Paz in support of marches against the President of Bolivia, Evo Morales, was attacked on a highway in the Andean area, in an incident in which an undetermined number of wounded. The buses came from the regions of Potosi and Chuquisaca, in the west and south of the country, and suffered an attack after leaving for La Paz in the morning after stopping at night in the Andean city of Oruro. EPA-EFE/EMILIO CASTILLO

Riots break out in Bolivia as mysterious vote count puts President Morales closer to fourth term

Riot police spray tear gas towards supporters of Bolivian presidential candidate Carlos Mesa in La Paz, Bolivia, October 21, 2019. REUTERS/David Mercado

Protesters set fire to ballot boxes at an electorial office in the city of Tarija, Bolivia, October 21, 2019, in this still image taken from social media video. Diario El Pais Tarija via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES.

Bolivian President Evo Morales waves to supporters at the presidential palace in La Paz, Bolivia, after a first round presidential election, Sunday, Oct. 20, 2019. According to official early returns, Morales is in the lead but appears headed to a December runoff against former President Carlos Mesa. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

epa07939532 Bolivian Police stand guard as supporters of the Bolivian opposition candidate Carlos Mesa of Comunidad Ciudadana party protest in La Paz, Bolivia, 21 October 2019. Opposition candidate Carlos Mesa called on citizens to mobilize against possible fraud being committed in the recount of votes in Bolivia's elections, while accusing the national elections agency of following orders from President Evo Morales to avoid a run-off. EPA-EFE/MARTIN ALIPAZ

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Lawmakers had been summoned to formalise Sunday’s resignation and confirm Jeanine Anez as interim president
Morales, tweeting from exile in Mexico, condemned what he called ‘the sneakiest, most nefarious coup in history’



Lawmakers had been summoned to formalise Sunday’s resignation and confirm Jeanine Anez as interim president


Mexico