MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Evo says Argentine motorbiker was not denied medical help

On the Day of Argentine-Bolivian Confraternity, when Argentina filed a protest against Bolivia for possible malpractice in the death of a motorbiker, President Fernández had lunch with Evo

Former Bolivian President Evo Morales Tuesday said over lunch at Casa Rosada with President Alberto Fernández that the retired Salta teacher who died after a motorcycling accident near Santa Cruz de la Sierra had received all possible medical care, thus contradicting statements from his family and friends.

Read also: Argentina to file protest against Bolivia for motorbiker's death

“One was run over by a truck, at that moment an ambulance passed by and he was taken to the hospital. I don't know where it comes from that there was a lack of medical attention. Maybe we lacked a plane or a helicopter but there was attention. When he is abandoned there is help free of charge. You can't abandon those who don't have money, everyone is taken care of,” Morales insisted.

The former Bolivian leader is in Argentina since Monday. He gave some lectures at the University of Rosario, it was reported.

The former head of state stressed that the case had been blown out of proportion and that according to authorities of the city of Ivirgarzama -where the road incident occurred- “it is not true” that the victim did not receive medical attention, according to the authorities from where the accident occurred. Morales said he had spoken on the telephone with Ivirgarzama Mayor Eduardo Adimberg, who told him that the retired Argentine teacher from Salta Alejandro Benítez had received Bolivian medical assistance.

Joining Fernández and Morales for lunch were Presidential Spokeswoman Gabriela Cerruti; Federal Intelligence Agency (AFI) Chief Agustín Rossi; Argentina's future Ambassador to Caracas, Oscar Laborde Congressmen Carlos Heller and Eduardo Valdés.

The meeting with the highly-renowned anti-US Morales took place just days before Fernández's upcoming meeting with President Joseph Biden on July 25 in Washington DC to discuss a possible renegotiation of the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The meeting took place in the framework of the Bolivian-Argentine Fraternity Day marking another anniversary of the birth of General Juana Azurduy, a heroine of Latin American independence.

“With great joy and a fraternal embrace, I met again with my brother Evo Morales. On the Day of Argentine-Bolivian Confraternity, we continue strengthening democracy in Latin America,” the Argentine President stressed.