Amid ongoing Bolivian coup, MAS lawmaker sworn-in as new Senate president

La Paz, November 15 (RHC)-- The Chamber of the Bolivian Senate swore in the legislator of the Movement to Socialism (MAS), Monica Eva Copa, as its new president, amid a coup d'état that the country is currently undergoing.

Also, the Chamber of Deputies managed to form a quorum with 74 MPs from the MAS party and an opposition deputy.  In the session, they elected parliamentarian Sergio Choque (MAS) as the new president.

In this way, both Chambers return to normal with new leadership after the resignations provoked by the coup d'etat that led to the forced resignation of several officials of the MAS Government, including legitimate president Evo Morales, and vice president Alvaro García Linera.

The first secretary of the senate, Omar Aguilar, opened the session with a minute of silence for the fallen during the last days due to violence and police-military repression in the streets.  "Our only goal is to seek the unity and peace of all Bolivians," Aguilar said.

For her part, the new president of Senate, Monica Eva Copa, highlighted in her speech the courageous attitude of the former president, Adriana Salvatierra, who was beaten by police forces before the parliament headquarters, but who managed to open the way for deputies to install Thursday's session.