Bolivia香蕉视频直播檚 transformative and divisive former President Evo Morales said Sunday that he would press on with a hunger strike until the government of his protege-turned-rival agreed to a political dialogue. The act, exposing the depth of the Andean country香蕉视频直播檚 divisions, aims to defuse the protests over Morales香蕉视频直播� claims of political persecution that have paralyzed the nation in recent weeks.

Morales, a larger-than-life figure still towering over Bolivian politics, spoke from the misty tropics of Chapare, Bolivia香蕉视频直播檚 rural coca-growing region that serves as his stronghold.

香蕉视频直播淢y fight is to improve the situation in the country and to start a dialogue without conditions on two fronts, one economic and one political,香蕉视频直播� Morales told The Associated Press from the office of the coca growers香蕉视频直播� federation that he has long led.

He said he began his hunger strike on Friday in hopes of 香蕉视频直播渋nternational organizations or friendly governments香蕉视频直播� facilitating his outreach to his political nemesis, President Luis Arce.

Tensions have surged over the past three weeks since pro-Morales supporters erected crippling roadblocks aimed at rebuking Arce 香蕉视频直播� the ex-president香蕉视频直播檚 former economy minister with whom he香蕉视频直播檚 vying to lead Bolivia香蕉视频直播檚 governing socialist party into next year香蕉视频直播檚 elections.

Calling for Arce香蕉视频直播檚 resignation, the protesters have also sought to challenge his government香蕉视频直播檚 attempt to revive a 2016 statutory rape case against Morales, an ethnic Aymara who was the first member of an Indigenous community to become the president of Latin America香蕉视频直播檚 only Indigenous-majority nation.

Morales has denied any wrongdoing. 香蕉视频直播淢y crime is being Indigenous,香蕉视频直播� he said on Sunday.

The AP reached Morales after an arduous 11-hour journey by car, motorcycle and foot over hills and through the highlands, circumventing road blockades, crisscrossing routes littered with debris and squeaking through over a dozen security checkpoints, in some cases manned by profiteers.

Roadblocks are a common protest tactic in Bolivia, where the mountainous terrain means a few strategically positioned checkpoints can can isolate major cities and bring the country to a halt.

Morales香蕉视频直播� supporters have used it over past decades to great effect and did so again this month, escalating pressure on Arce to take action against protesters who have marooned hundreds of thousands of residents in the highlands, raising fears of food and gasoline shortages and hiking up already inflated prices in major cities, even the capital of La Paz.

香蕉视频直播淚 see people rising up even more,香蕉视频直播� said Eusebio Urbano, a farmer protesting in support of Morales at one of the road blockades Sunday. 香蕉视频直播淚 don香蕉视频直播檛 know what this government thinks. 香蕉视频直播� They don香蕉视频直播檛 try to solve anything. We香蕉视频直播檒l have to exert pressure until it leaves.香蕉视频直播�

Last Friday, Arce香蕉视频直播檚 government sent some 3,000 police officers armed with tear gas and backed by helicopters to break up the blockades by force.

Senior Minister Eduardo Del Castillo said security forces had arrested dozens of protesters in a crackdown that succeeded in clearing the road linking Cochabamba, Bolivia香蕉视频直播檚 third-biggest city, and La Paz. He said security forces transferred over 50 of them to pre-trial detention in the capital.

香蕉视频直播淲hat happened was very inhumane,香蕉视频直播� Morales said, adding that his refusal to eat was also aimed at pressuring authorities to release the 66 detainees. 香蕉视频直播淭hese are humble people who were presented as terrorists.香蕉视频直播�

It was the latest turn in Bolivia香蕉视频直播檚 long-running political crisis, which escalated last week when gunmen ambushed Morales香蕉视频直播� convoy in what the former president claimed was a government-led assassination attempt. Officials in Arce香蕉视频直播檚 government denied this, alleging that police opened fire because Morales香蕉视频直播� van had barreled through a security checkpoint.

香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檝e been using any tactic they can, politically, legally, morally and now, to end my life physically,香蕉视频直播� Morales said.

From there, protests in Morales香蕉视频直播� defense only intensified. On Friday, Arce香蕉视频直播檚 government accused his demonstrators of occupying military barracks in Chapare, a flashpoint for conflict since the U.S.-backed war on drugs in the 1990s. Authorities said that protesters seized weapons and held some 200 soldiers hostage Friday.

Morales and his supporters rejected reports of a violent hostage situation, with the leader香蕉视频直播檚 Kausachun Coca radio station airing footage that showed protesting union members and soldiers negotiating calmly while munching on coca leaves.

香蕉视频直播淧lease, it香蕉视频直播檚 not a take-over of military barracks,香蕉视频直播� Morales said. 香蕉视频直播淭hey are vigils until their economic and political demands are met.香蕉视频直播�

Del Castillo, the minister, said Sunday that the government is, in principle, open to negotiation with Morales. But he said authorities didn香蕉视频直播檛 trust his motives.

香蕉视频直播淢orales doesn香蕉视频直播檛 care about the country, he cares about himself. He is looking for new confrontations,香蕉视频直播� said Del Castillo. 香蕉视频直播淢orales has a whole script to destabilize the government.香蕉视频直播�

The surge in tensions comes against the backdrop of a bitter rift at the highest rungs of Bolivia香蕉视频直播檚 long-dominant Movement Toward Socialism party, which deepened last month when authorities announced their intention to arrest Morales on charges that he fathered a daughter with a 15-year-old girl in 2016 when he was 56 years old and president.

Morales and his supporters have decried the case as a political witch hunt aimed at blocking his candidacy in the 2025 election.

Arce insists that the current constitution 香蕉视频直播� which permits just two consecutive terms 香蕉视频直播� forbids Morales, who held power from 2006-2019, from running next year, anyway.

香蕉视频直播淚t is a betrayal of the people, of the party activists, of the revolution,香蕉视频直播� Morales said of Arce香蕉视频直播檚 efforts to undercut him.

In neighboring Argentina, the government of far-right President Javier Milei on Saturday announced it had lodged a complaint accusing Morales of child abuse committed during the former president香蕉视频直播檚 monthslong political exile in Argentina, from 2019 to 2020.

At that time, allegations of election fraud sparked mass protests that led Morales to resign under pressure from the military and flee to Mexico before seeking asylum in Argentina 香蕉视频直播� an ouster that Morales and his supporters view as a coup.

Now, years later, Morales 香蕉视频直播� who continues to evince intense support from the Indigenous population 香蕉视频直播� has seized upon growing discontent with his chosen successor.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not that I, Evo, want to be president, the people have asked me to return,香蕉视频直播� Morales said. 香蕉视频直播淒uring my administration there was stability. When there is economic and political stability, there is happiness.香蕉视频直播�

Many in the country have soured on Arce over the collapse of Bolivia香蕉视频直播檚 once-growing economy built on cheap dollars and fuel. They look back fondly on the tenure of Morales, credited with lifting millions out of poverty and drastically narrowing Bolivia香蕉视频直播檚 wealth divide during the nation香蕉视频直播檚 natural gas boom.

香蕉视频直播淣ow with more experience, we are ready to save Bolivia,香蕉视频直播� Morales said, promising he would revive the flailing economy by having Bolivia join BRICS, a group of emerging economies seeking to counter Western dominance of the world order, and collaborating more closely with China.

The former president, now 65, isn香蕉视频直播檛 sure how long his hunger strike will last. But he said he香蕉视频直播檚 prepared for the deprivation.

香蕉视频直播淚 do a lot of sports,香蕉视频直播� Morales said. 香蕉视频直播淭oday I woke up at 4 a.m. and did 1,015 sit-ups.香蕉视频直播�