The Argentine Interior Ministry said it granted asylum to former Bolivian President Evo Morales after he arrived in the capital Buenos Aires yesterday.

"Morales has been granted asylum in Argentina and is completing procedures to become an official refugee. Four former officials in his administration, including former Bolivian health minister Gabriela Montano, have been granted. refugee rights, "a statement from the Argentine Interior Ministry said yesterday.

The agency added that Morales and Montano signed applications to comply with "refugee conditions", but did not provide details. Argentine Foreign Minister Felipe Sola said the government wanted Morales to pledge not to make political statements during the asylum process.

Morales, the Bolivian leader for 14 years, resigned on November 10 after a large-scale protest movement in the country opposed his re-election for a fourth term. Morales then went to Mexico for asylum and claimed he was the victim of a coup.

However, after Alberto Fernandez, a center-left thinker and an ally of Morales, took office as President of Argentina on December 10, he decided to leave Mexico to go to Buenos Aires. In a Twitter post, Morales thanked Mexico and Argentina for their "support and solidarity".

An unnamed senior US official said Morales' presence in Argentina was "not welcome news". "We will not accept any efforts or actions by Morales to intervene, or take advantage of Argentina to spark violence, instability, undermine the democratic transition in Bolivia," the official said. .

After Morales resigned, Jeanine Anez, who is the vice president of the Bolivian Senate, quickly sworn in as interim president to lead the country until the new election, scheduled for January next year. . Washington recognized Anez's interim president and expressed a wish for Bolivia to hold elections "as soon as possible".