BOLIVIA’S state-owned services are being dismantled and sold off to the private sector, exiled former president Evo Morales warned on Saturday, accusing the coup administration of destroying the country.

The socialist leader, who is currently in Argentina, which offered him a safe haven after he was ousted last December, denounced the breaking up of state assets, including Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales Bolivianos, Bolivian Airlines, and Bolivian Telecommunications (Entel).​​​​​

Mr Morales reminded Bolivians of the need to protect the nationalised industries, many of which were the subject of mass protests, most notably the so-called water war against IMF-imposed privatisation plans in 1999-2000.

“We Bolivians, along with our social organisations, have the duty to defend strategic companies,” Mr Morales said, warning that “if we don’t protect them, it will be tough to get out of the crisis.”

Mr Morales was ousted in a US-backed coup in December, weeks after he won the country’s presidential election. He was replaced by right-wing Jeanine Anez, whose regime has been described as proto-fascist.

It immediately set about rolling back many of the progressive policies enacted by Mr Morales and conducted a “massacre” of Bolivia’s indigenous population, while removing the indigenous Wiphala flag from public display.

The coup regime has been accused of corruption and plundering Bolivia’s state-run companies. In February, Entel telecommunications director Elio Montes was arrested at a US airport because he was carrying a large sum of money.

“Jeanine Anez’s trusted men, Herland Soliz and Elio Montes, embezzled from the Bolivian Oil Company and the Bolivian Telecommunications enterprises … A similar fate awaits the Bolivian Aviation Company,” Mr Morales warned.

Movement Towards Socialism presidential candidate Luis Arce said: “The Bolivian people fought for their natural resources and against plundering and privatisation.

“In 2006, we nationalised the petroleum industry … Today it is at risk because of mismanagement and corruption.”