Bolivian ex-President Evo Morales returns from exile

Former President Evo Morales had been living in exile in Argentina

The former president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, has crossed from Argentina into Bolivia almost a year after he went into exile.

Mr Morales resigned and left Bolivia in November 2019 amid mass protests over allegations of vote rigging in the presidential election.

He said he would return to Bolivia if his Mas party won the re-run of the election, which it did on 18 October.

The former president was received by hundreds of supporters at the border.

Mr Morales was Bolivia's first indigenous president and led the country for almost 14 years.

What made his return possible?

Following his departure from Bolivia in November 2019, members of the right-wing interim government accused Mr Morales of sedition, terrorism and statutory rape.

Hundreds of supporters, many of them indigenous Bolivians, gathered to welcome Mr Morales

A judge issued an arrest warrant for the former leader, but last month that order was annulled, paving the way for him to return without fear of being detained.

Mr Morales had long said that he would return to Bolivia if his socialist Mas party, which he continues to lead, won the re-run of the disputed 2019 election.

While Luis Arce, the candidate for the Mas party, had been leading in the polls, he surprised many observers by winning outright in the first round.

What next?

Since his election win, Mr Acre has distanced himself somewhat from Mr Morales, stressing in a BBC interview that "I am not Evo Morales".

Luis Arce (right) and his vice-president, David Choquehuanca, were sworn in on Sunday

But Mr Morales retains the support of many Mas activists in his power base in Cochabamba province, where he says he is now headed.

It is not clear what Mr Morales's long-term plans are but in the short term he says he will meet with coca-growers in Chimoré. Before becoming president, Mr Morales had led the coca-growers union and his support among coca-growers remains strong.

Mr Arce, who was sworn into office on Sunday, has said that Mr Morales will play no role in his government, but analysts think the former president may find it hard not to be involved in politics in some shape of form.