Mexico says Bolivia harassing its diplomats in La Paz

MEXICO CITY — Mexico says Bolivian security forces accumulate elevated their presence around the Mexican ambassador’s La Paz role, the achieve a neighborhood of musty Cabinet ministers and others real to ousted president Evo Morales accumulate sought refuge.

Troops gathered in elevated numbers around the role on Tuesday, the Mexican Out of the country Ministry acknowledged. Maximiliano Reyes,Mexico‘s undersecretary for Latin America, described the Bolivian patrols around the diplomatic property as a “siege.”

Relations between the two worldwide locations accumulate been strained since Mexico granted asylum to Morales after he resigned Nov. 10 following nationwide upheaval over his explain of victory in anelectionmarred by vote-rigging. Morales has since relocated to Argentina and says he plans to preserve thinking about politics in neighboring Bolivia, while some musty prime aides live holed up within the Mexican ambassador’s role.

Willson Santamaría, Bolivia’s deputy minister of public security, acknowledged the Morales loyalists would now not be allowed to leave the country.

“We accumulate taken the famous steps so as that the protection forces without delay tune and detect any support, any complicity in helping the fugitives flit the country,” he acknowledged.

Those that sought refuge within the Mexican ambassador’s role encompass Juan Ramón Quintana, the musty chief of workers for Morales, and 5 other musty ministers, in step with a Mexican federal reliable. The reliable modified into now not licensed to comment publicly in regards to the topic and spoke on situation of anonymity.

Several are accused by the interim authorities of President Jeanine Áñez of electoral fraud or other crimes.

Mexico has complained that Bolivian security and intelligence officers accumulate surrounded each the Mexican ambassador’s role and the embassy, recording the circulation of other folks in and out of the facilities and even impeding the “free transit” of the ambassador.

Erick Foronda, Bolivia’s presidential secretary, denied that authorities are interfering with the movements of Mexico’s diplomats. The police presence on the diplomatic facilities modified into elevated for security reasons following stories of deliberate demonstrations within the explain, he acknowledged.

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Associated Press creator Paola Flores contributed to this file from La Paz, Bolivia.