Tensions do not subside between Bolivia and Spain. In retaliation for La Paz's expulsion of two Spanish diplomats, Madrid announced on Monday (December 30th) that it had declared three members of the Bolivian diplomatic staff in Spain as "persona non grata".
The announcements follow a diplomatic incident last Friday in La Paz. Bolivia accuses Spain of having attempted to exfiltrate a wanted ex-right arm of the deposed Bolivian president, Evo Morales, who took refuge in the Mexican embassy in La Paz, which Madrid vehemently denied.
"In reciprocity to the hostile gesture of the Bolivian interim government to declare two Spanish diplomats as persona non grata, Spain has decided in turn to declare three Bolivian diplomatic and consular staff accredited in our country as persona non grata and to give them 72 hours to leave Spain, "the Spanish government said in a statement.
"Spain categorically rejects any insinuation on an alleged desire to interfere in Bolivian internal political affairs. For Spain, any assertion in this sense is a slander intended to damage our bilateral relations with false conspiratorial theories", added the government.
Interim President of Bolivia Jeanine Añez announced Monday the expulsion of the Ambassador of Mexico as well as the Chargé d'affaires and the Consul of Spain. For its part, Mexico denounced the "political" nature of this decision, believing that its ambassador had acted within the framework of international law.
The Embassy of Mexico at the Heart of this Diplomatic Incident
The incident on Friday, which involved Spanish diplomats, accompanied by armed men and hooded according to La Paz, caused strong tension between Bolivia and Spain over the weekend. He performed during a visit by the Chargé d'affaires of Spain, Cristina Borreguero, to the Mexican ambassador, Maria Teresa Mercado.
According to diplomatic and interior sources quoted by the Spanish media, these armed and hooded men were agents of the Special Operations Group (GEO) responsible for the security of Spanish diplomats in La Paz.
"We believe that the aim was to extract the criminal Juan Ramon Quintana" from the Mexican embassy where he had taken refuge in La Paz, said Bolivian Interior Minister Arturo Murillo on Saturday, referring to former right-hand man of ex-president Morales, wanted by the new authorities.
With AFP
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