Credit: Wikipedia Commons /  youtube/  Jeanine Áñez Chávez , Interim President of Bolivia

By Gary Raynaldo       DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

Interim President of the Republic of Bolivia Jeanine Áñez Chávez on Monday expelled Mexico’s ambassador and two Spanish diplomats over allies to former Bolivian leader Evo Marales  given asylum in the Mexican embassy.  Chávez  said her administration requested Mexican ambassador María Teresa Mercado and several Spanish officials to leave the country within 72 hours and called them “persona non grata”.   Chávez’ interim government accused Spanish diplomats of trying  to help several pro-Morales officials flee  the Mexican embassy last Friday and claimed they arrived at the embassy accompanied by a group of hooded Spanish security agents. 

”The constitutional government that I preside over has decided to declare persona non grata the ambassador of Mexico in Bolivia, Maria Teresa Mercado, the charge d’affaires of Spain, Cristina Borreguero, and the (Spanish) consul, Alvaro Fernandez,“

-Jeanine Añez Chávez 

Hemos aplicado la Convención de Viena, ante los hechos sucedidos en días pasados en la Embajada de Mexico y declaramos personas no gratas a la Embajadora de de México, a la Encargada de Negocios de España y al Cónsul de dicho país. pic.twitter.com/LffQHo5tOW

— Jeanine Añez Chavez (@JeanineAnez) December 30, 2019

The Mexican government said its diplomats in Bolivia had followed the principles of Mexican foreign policy and international law.

The Spain government denied the charges. Former minister Juan Ramon Quintana has been holed up at the Mexican embassy with around 10 other members of the former leftist government since seeking asylum after Morales quit power on Nov 10.  Madrid denied there was any attempt to extract the former Morales aide  Quintana inside the Mexican Embassy in La Paz, stating that its diplomat only went there on a courtesy visit.

Spain Orders Bolivian Diplomats To Leave Country In Response to Bolivia’s “hostile gesture.”

The Spanish interim government then  declared three Bolivian diplomats “personae non gratae” after the Bolivia’s actions.  Spain  said it “categorically rejects any hint about the alleged willingness to interfere in the internal political affairs of Bolivia,” and called the allegations “conspiracy theories.”

Former Bolivia President Evo Morales Twitter reaction:

“The de facto government (Bolivia) in an act of contempt for international law, expels the Mexican ambassador and Spanish diplomats, breaks relations with Venezuela, and questions Argentina. The coup plotters seek legitimacy, but only exert violence against sister countries.”

-Evo Morales Ayma

El gobierno de facto en un acto de desprecio por el derecho internacional, expulsa a embajadora de México y a diplomáticos españoles, rompe relaciones con Venezuela, y cuestiona a Argentina. Los golpistas buscan legitimidad, pero solo ejercen violencia contra países hermanos.

— Evo Morales Ayma (@evoespueblo) December 31, 2019

Morales stepped down under pressure from the Bolivian armed forces after a presidential election that the Organization of American States (OAS) said was rigged in his favor.  Morales then accepted an offer of political asylum from Mexico, angering the new administration headed by interim President Añez, a former conservative senator and opponent of Morales.  Morales left Mexico this month and is now in Argentina.