Bolivian President Evo Morales on Wednesday called on the Brazilian government to hand over opposition Senator Roger Pinto Molina, who was smuggled into Brazil over the weekend to avoid a one-year jail sentence for corruption.

"What Brazil has to do is return Roger Pinto for him to be subjected to Bolivian law. That would be the best way to contribute to the fight against corruption," Morales said here at a press conference.

With the help of a Brazilian diplomat, the dissident senator hid in a diplomatic car and got into Brazil after a 22-hour ride. The Brazilian diplomat later admitted acting alone in planning and undertaking the getaway.

Describing Pinto as "a confessed criminal" who should not have left the country, Morales said he was irked by the way Pinto left Bolivia and demanded an explanation from the Brazilian government, which has sacked Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota over the Pinto case.

"We are waiting for an official response to the diplomatic note sent by the (Bolivian) Foreign Ministry," said Morales, adding that he believed conservative factions within Brazil "want a confrontation" between the two countries.

As a fierce critic of Morales, Pinto had been holed up at the Brazilian Embassy in La Paz for 15 months, pending permission from Bolivia to go to Brazil, where he was granted asylum last year. Endi

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