Mexico has approved asylum for former Bolivian President Evo Morales after the socialist leader was forced to resign from his post under pressure from military brass, amid opposition protests over a disputed election result which Morales has slammed as a coup.

The Mexican Foreign Ministry confirmed that asylum was granted to Morales on Monday, and insisted that the former leader is allowed safe passage out of Bolivia in the event he decides to leave the country.

“Latin America has witnessed unfortunate and violent events in which the constitutional order is broken and democratically elected authorities are forced to abandon everything to protect their life and security,” the ministry wrote in a communiqué, adding that Morales had “verbally and formally requested political asylum.”

“We will immediately proceed to inform Bolivia's foreign ministry that under international law, it should offer safe conduct [to Morales],” FM Marcelo Ebrard told reporters.

Despite Morales’s departure from office and a new round of snap elections set in the coming weeks, chaotic protests continue across Bolivia.