FORMER Bolivian president Evo Morales, who has tested positive for the coronavirus, said yesterday he has received treatment offers from allies Argentina, Venezuela and Cuba.

“President Alberto Fernandez offered to take me for treatment in Argentina, the same from my brother President (Nicolas) Maduro (of Venezuela), and the Cuban government,” Morales told the Panamaricana radio station.

The former coca union leader fostered strong relationships with fellow leftist regimes during his presidency.

Even after fleeing into exile in November 2019 after weeks of protests met his controversial re-election to an unconstitutional fourth term, he settled in Argentina at the invitation of newly elected leader Fernandez.

He was being treated, though, in a private clinic in the centre of Bolivia by “a foreign medical team” that El Deber newspaper claimed were Cubans.

Morales, who was president for almost 14 years, said he felt “very strengthened, with a lot of courage”.

He revealed on Wednesday that he had tested positive for the virus, despite denying it the day before. Bolivia is suffering from a second wave of infections.

Local media said Morales took part in a number of meetings in the central Chapare region at the weekend.

Bolivia has recorded more than 178,000 cases and almost 9,500 deaths amongst its 11.5 million population. – AFP, January 15, 2021.