Spain to expel three Bolivian diplomats as spat deepens

The Spanish government on Monday declared three Bolivian diplomats "personae non gratae" in a tit-for-tat move as a diplomatic spat deepened with Madrid's former colony.

The move came after Bolivia's interim president, Jeanine Anez, said La Paz would expel Mexico's ambassador and two Spanish diplomats over an alleged attempt to extract an ex-government aide to former Bolivian leader Evo Morales.

The Socialist government of Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said the three diplomats had 72 hours to leave the country.

Hours earlier, Anez stated that "the constitutional government that I preside over has decided to declare persona non grata the ambassador of Mexico in Bolivia, Maria Teresa Mercado, the charge d'affaires of Spain, Cristina Borreguero, and the (Spanish) consul, Alvaro Fernandez."
"Spain wishes to maintain close relations of friendship and solidarity with the country and brother people of Bolivia," Madrid concluded, urging La Paz to return to a "common sense path of confidence and cooperation between our two countries."