UN Secretary-General expresses deep concerns over Bolivia's unrest

Antonio Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations reflected on the deteriorating situation in Bolivia on November 10. In a statement, the Secretary-General expressed his deep concerns about the on-going protest regarding the disputed voting in the general elections and the resignation of President Evo Morales. The protests arise due to disputed results of the elections. Even before the results, Evo Morales declared his win which led to suspicions. 

UN Secretary-General ask people of Bolivia to maintain peace

In the statement, the Secretary-General asked the people of Bolivia to “refrain from violence, reduce tension and exercise maximum restraint. He calls on all actors to abide by international law, notably fundamental human rights principles.” He also urged leaders of the nation to try and achieve a peaceful resolution to the current situation, at the same time ensure that elections are transparently organised without any discrepancy. 

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Bolivian President resigns after disputed election results

The current President of Bolivia, Evo Morales resigned from his position and called for re-elections due to the rising tension over disputed results of the Bolivian elections. The announcement by the President came after the Organization of American States released a report which found certain discrepancies in the results of the elections. He called an all-party meeting to ensure that peace prevails in the nation after three people were reported dead during the protests. Pope Francis has also urged the people and the politicians of Bolivia to stay calm and peaceful until the review of the vote results is publicly disclosed. 

READ: WATCH: Violent Clashes Continue In Bolivia Amid Growing Protests

Unrest in Bolivia 

Bolivia has seen tensions rise since election night when the results count was inexplicably paused for 24 hours. This prompted suspicions among supporters of opposition candidate Carlos Mesa that the incumbent since 2006 has tried to rig the election result. A president in Bolivia serves a five-year term. When final results were declared, Morales had a 10-percentage-point lead over Mesa, just enough to win outright in the first round of the presidential election. Several election watchdog groups disputed the result and raised concern on its authenticity.

READ: Evo Morales Says He’d Welcome Election Audit In Bolivia

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(With inputs from agencies)