Former Bolivian president shot in a car, accusing the government

Former Bolivian President Evo Morales says he escaped an assassination attempt. He was shot in his car but was not injured. Morales accuses Bolivia’s current government of trying to kill him.

The incident took place in the Chapare area in the center of the country. Morales posted a video on Facebook taken from two cars. The images show a wild chase in which Morales switches cars. At least two bullet holes can be seen in the windshield.

Photo of the chase:

According to a statement from Morales and his supporters, the perpetrators were heavily armed men dressed in black. “Elite representatives of the Bolivian state tried to take my life today,” Morales wrote on social media. The shooting is said to be part of a campaign to oust Morales politically.

In a radio interview after the incident, Morales said that two vehicles intercepted him on the road and that the occupants shot at his car. He said a bullet had gone “centimeters” past his head.

The event comes at a time of great tension in Bolivia. Morales’ supporters blocked major roads for two weeks, blocking the flow of food and fuel to major cities. His supporters also clashed with security forces who tried to clear the barriers.

The conflict is about power in the MAS party, which includes both Morales and current President Luis Arce. Morales, who served three terms as president, resigned in 2019 after a disputed election in which he was accused of electoral fraud. Several dozen people were killed in the riot that followed, and the violence did not end when Morales left the field.

In new elections a year later, Arce, a former friend, became president. The battle within the ranks of MAS is now about which of the two will lead the party in next year’s elections.

Morales asks Arce to resign himself or fire ministers for the shooting incident. Deputy Security Minister Roberto Rios told reporters that the police had not carried out an operation against Morales.