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Argentina Denies Reports of Bolivia’s Ex-Interior Minister Hiding at La Paz Embassy

BRASILIA (Sputnik) – Argentina has refuted reports that Bolivia's former Interior Minister Carlos Romero, who resigned together with Bolivian President Evo Morales, is hiding on the territory of the Argentine Embassy in La Paz, the embassy has announced.
Sputnik
"Argentina respects the right of asylum as a fundamental right enshrined in the universal declaration of human rights. However, the Argentine embassy in Bolivia informs that the former government minister, Carlos Romero, is NOT taking refuge on the territory of this diplomatic mission", the Argentine Embassy in La Paz said on its official Facebook page on Monday.

Earlier in the day, a source in the embassy told the media that Romero was "under [its] protection".

On Sunday, Bolivia's Morales stepped down amid massive demonstrations against his victory in the October elections. The country's armed forces and the police jointed the calls for the president's resignation.

The Organisation of American States (OAS) has published a preliminary report that found irregularities in the 20 October voting. According to the official election results, Morales won in the first round, but the opposition led by Carlos Mesa did not recognise the results, accusing Morales of electoral fraud.

A number of countries, including Argentina, Venezuela, Cuba, and Mexico have described the events in Bolivia as a coup. Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard announced on Monday that his country was granting political asylum to Morales.

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