Military government in Bolivia tries to convince Europe there was no coup

In Bolivia, the de-facto government of Jeanine Añez entrusted her now ex-deputy foreign minister, Gualberto Rodriguez, to report in Europe that in Bolivia there was no coup d'etat, but a constitutional succession. Rodriguez is now the new Chargé d'affaires in Spain.

At a ceremony during which Rodriguez's successor was sworn in, de-facto Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia, Karen Longaric, wished the new chargé d'affaires "much success" in his "very important mission" in Spain to "redirect "relations after the recent diplomatic incident.

"Be very successful my dear Ambassador Gualberto Rodríguez so that we will soon see results in Spain and also make it known in Europe that this government does not come from a coup d'état, but from a constitutional succession adjusted to the law," said Longaric.

Longaric expressed her desire that Rodriguez would have a "brilliant representation" in Spain and overcome the diplomatic "fissure" between the two countries that led the de-facto government to declare 'persona non grata' Spanish diplomats, Cristina Borreguero and Alvaro Fernandez, along with other officials and the Mexican ambassador, Maria Teresa Mercado.

The reason was the visit on December 27th of the Spanish diplomats accompanied, according to the de-facto Government, by "hooded" and "presumably armed" individuals to the residence of the Mexican embassy in La Paz, where some former Morales government officials are under asylum.

The event was interpreted by Bolivia as an attempt to evacuate those former ministers, some accused of “terrorism” and persecuted by the de-facto government, something that Spain has denied at all times.