MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Morales backtracks on intention of creating armed civilian militias as in Venezuela if he returns to Bolivia

Morales caused outrage with his comments with interim President Anez saying his words proved that “peace, reconciliation and democracy were never options for him.”

Exiled former Bolivian president Evo Morales backtracked on Thursday from a vow to create armed civilian militias similar to notorious 'colectivos' in Venezuela, were he to be allowed back to his homeland.

Morales caused outrage with his comments last weekend, with interim President Jeanine Anez saying his words proved that “peace, reconciliation and democracy were never options for him.”

The 60-year-old former trade union leader resigned in November after three weeks of violent protests against his controversial re-election in a poll the Organization of American States said was rigged.

He initially fled to take up asylum in Mexico before moving on to Argentina last month.

On Sunday he told Bolivia's Radio Kawsachum Coca (RKC) - owned by the coca planters union to which he belongs - that should he return to his homeland “we will have to organize popular

armed militias, as Venezuela has done.”

But on Thursday he took to Twitter to retract those comments. “A few days ago some of my words were published about the formation of militias. I retract those,” he said.

“My most profound conviction has been the defense of life and peace.”

Venezuela's colectivos - created by late leftist icon Hugo Chavez - have been accused by NGOs of carrying out violent oppression against opposition protesters.

On Wednesday, several Venezuelan opposition lawmakers said their vehicles had been shot at by colectivos as they made their way to parliament.

Morales' words brought condemnation from the UN special envoy to Bolivia, Jean Arnault. On Wednesday, Arnault said the UN “joins in the rejection” of Morales' statement.

Morales tweeted that he didn't want “anything that I've said to be used as a pretext to persecute and repress my brothers and sisters.”