Bolivia says bilateral relations with Spain must continue despite diplomatic dispute
Record ID:
1450939
Bolivia says bilateral relations with Spain must continue despite diplomatic dispute
- Title: Bolivia says bilateral relations with Spain must continue despite diplomatic dispute
- Date: 31st December 2019
- Summary: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA (DECEMBER 30, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR THE BOLIVIAN PALACE OF GOVERNMENT, BETTER KNOWN AS PALACIO QUEMADO FLAGS OUTSIDE PALACE GENERAL OF TABLE WITH MINISTERS INTERIM BOLIVIAN PRESIDENT JEANINE ANEZ LOOKING ON BOLIVIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER KAREN LONGARIC LOOKING ON VARIOUS OF TABLE WITH MINISTERS LONGARIC DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BOLIVIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER KAREN LONGARIC, SAYING: ''Spain has declared three Bolivian officials persona-non-grata. It has indicated they are doing so by virtue of reciprocity. That means that these three officials have not committed any irregularities on Spanish territory, but have simply been a reciprocal response. These three officials were appointed by the previous government.'' GENERAL NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BOLIVIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER KAREN LONGARIC, SAYING: ''The president (Interim Bolivian President Jeanine Anez) is evaluating each of the designations abroad to send the best people. I think that in the next few weeks we will have some diplomatic representatives representing this government at the Bolivian embassy in Spain. It is important because bilateral relations with Spain cannot stop. They have to follow their course and we have to meet again and strengthen relationships. We are also waiting for the investigation to be done, that the Minister of Foreign Relations of Spain has arranged. Surely this will be in the next two weeks, and let's address this issue with some normality." GENERAL OF NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 14th January 2020 04:35
- Keywords: Bolivia Spain diplomacy
- Location: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA
- City: LA PAZ, BOLIVIA
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001BCB2ONB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Relations with Spain 'must continue,' said Bolivia's Foreign Minister on Monday (December 30).
Bolivia's government expelled Mexican and Spanish diplomats on Monday, escalating a diplomatic dispute after Mexico's embassy in La Paz granted asylum to allies of Bolivia's former socialist president Evo Morales.
Bolivian caretaker President Jeanine Anez said her administration had asked Mexican ambassador Maria Teresa Mercado and several Spanish officials to leave the country within 72 hours and called them "persona non grata."
In Madrid, Spain's foreign ministry said it would expel three Bolivian diplomatic staff over the matter.
Bolivia's disputed October election sparked widespread protests and Morales resigned last month in the face of growing civil and military pressure. Anez took over by default, and has made sharp policy shifts away from his socialist government, fraying ties with leftist allies in the region.
(Production: Monica Machicao) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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