EPAThe Bolivian government has denied former president Evo Morales’ claim that it ordered a targeted attack on him.
Morales said his car was repeatedly shot at Sunday night in the Cochabamba region, which he condemned as an attempt on his life.
But Bolivia’s Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo said the former president’s motorcade fled an anti-drug patrol, during which his security team shot at police and ran over an officer.
Evo Morales is engaged in a power struggle with President Luis Arce over who will be the candidate of the Movement for Socialism (Mas) party in next year’s election.
On Sunday, Morales posted a video on social media showing at least two bullet holes in the windshield of a car in the front seat where he was sitting.
In a statement, a pro-Morales faction of the Mas party said men dressed in black shot at the vehicle as it passed a military barracks. This faction said they blame President Arce’s government.
But on Monday, del Castillo told a news conference that the anti-drug trafficking unit was patrolling the standard highway when Morales’ convoy shot at police and ran over an officer.
“Mr. Morales, no one believes in the drama you have staged,” he added.
Morales disputed this account, saying in an X post that he had been shot “more than 18 times”. He said he returned fire after police opened fire.
Morales, who served as president from 2006 to 2019, is facing legal issues including investigations into allegations of statutory rape and human trafficking, which he denies.
For weeks, his supporters have blocked key roads across the country and clashed with police.
Morales argues that the allegations are part of a right-wing vendetta against him by the interim president, who replaced him in office after he resigned in 2019 following allegations of vote fraud.
Both he and Arce have loyal groups of supporters willing to take to the streets – and in some cases even engage in street fights – to show their support for their candidate .
