"After analyzing the internal conflict situation, we ask the President of the State to renounce his presidential mandate, allowing for peace to be restored and the maintenance of stability for the good of Bolivia", the commander of the country's armed forces, Williams Kaliman said, cited by Reuters.
Las Fuerzas Armadas de #Bolivia sugieren que @evoespueblo renuncie a su mandato permitiendo la pacificación y el mantenimiento de la paz por el bien de nuestro país. #BoliviaUnida #BoliviaLibre#EvoDictador #EvoRenunciaYa pic.twitter.com/aVeb8PObXV
— belengutierrezgiret (@bgutierrezgiret) 10 November 2019
Unconfirmed reports circulated Sunday alleging that Morale's plane had requested a flight plan to Argentina. Footage of an alleged escape was shared earlier on Twitter, depicting a small jet purportedly taking off from El Alto airport in La Paz.
#Bolivia 🇧🇴 BREAKING: the presidential plane has been spotted departing from El Alto airport, unknown yet whether #Morales was on board pic.twitter.com/ABHtkNIff0
— Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) 10 November 2019Earlier in the day, a number of high-ranking officials decided to resign in the wake of threats and attacks against their relatives.
Protests in the country have been ongoing since 20 October, after Bolivian President Evo Morales secured a new term in a hotly-contested presidential election. The rallies quickly morphed into unrest, accompanied by incidents of arson and the occupation of buildings, including offices of the state-owned media.
Earlier on Sunday, the Bolivian Armed Forces ordered the elimination of illegal armed groups operating in the country amid the ongoing unrest. The command noted that only the armed forces and the national police are authorized to carry weapons, in line with national law.
Morales earlier described opposition demands for his resignation as a coup attempt. The incumbent Bolivian president has, however, not yet responded to the demands of the nation's armed forces. Morales earlier promised pay raises for police who had defected to the protesters' side, and called for another presidential election while pledging to reshuffle the electoral board.
