LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — An opposition leader in Bolivia’s Senate has declared herself the country’s interim president after the resignation of Evo Morales.
The 52-year-old Jeanine Añez took temporary control of the Senate late Tuesday, putting her next in line for the presidency.
Lawmakers of Morales’ Movement for Socialism party were not present when Añez made the announcement.
Socialist party members have flooded the streets of Venezuela’s capital city to show their support for Morales, calling his ouster a Washington-backed coup d’etat.
Thousands marched through Caracas on Tuesday, many carrying handmade signs scrawled with “Evo!”
Morales stepped down on Sunday at the “suggestion” of his country’s military chief following several tumultuous weeks of protests since his disputed election to a fourth term.
He was the last survivor of a so-called “pink tide” of leftist leaders across Latin America that included former Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
Venezuela’s socialist leaders called on sympathizers to take the streets in a march that played out as Morales landed in Mexico where he is being granted asylum.
Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro is a long political ally of Morales, who accused the United States of mounting an economic war to overthrow his socialist government.