Former Bolivian President Granted Asylum in Argentina

Former Bolivian President Evo Morales has arrived in Argentina, where he has been granted asylum by the new left-wing government.

Morales had fled to Mexico after nationwide protests over election fraud forced him to resign early last month.

"He feels better here than in Mexico, which is far away,'' Argentine Foreign Minister Felipe Sola said Thursday. The two countries are neighbors.

Morales will live in the capital, Buenos Aires, with his two children. Sola said four former high-ranking officials in his administration had accompanied Morales and had also requested asylum.

Morales fled Bolivia after the Organization of American States concluded that the October elections had been rigged to grant him a fourth term in office.

"We expect the Argentine government to comply with international norms of political asylum,'' Bolivian Foreign Minister Karen Longaric warned. "We don't want to see what happened in Mexico, where Evo Morales had an open microphone and a stage."

Interim Bolivian President Jeanine Anez has said Morales will not be allowed to run in new presidential elections that are expected to be held early next year.

But on Sunday, Morales' Movement Towards Socialism (Mas) party named him its campaign manager.

"Thank you for not abandoning me. I will always be with you," Morales tweeted after that decision was announced.