Peru leader rebukes Bolivia head

By Dan Collyns BBC News, Lima

President Garcia accused the Bolivian leader of spreading rumours

Peruvian President Alan Garcia has told his Bolivian counterpart, Evo Morales, to "shut up" and stop meddling in Peru's internal affairs.

His remarks follow claims by Mr Morales that Peru was trying to establish a US military base on its territory.

Mr Garcia angrily denied the suggestion a day after Peru withdrew its ambassador from La Paz in protest.

Bolivia's deputy foreign minister said President Morales had not intended to interfere in Peruvian internal affairs.

President Garcia said he was tempted to use the words of Spain's King Juan Carlos, who told Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez at a summit last year: "Why don't you shut up?"

'Twisted lies'

Speaking to reporters he accused Mr Morales of spreading rumours about US military bases in Peru and of urging Peruvians to protest.

The Bolivian president recently said his Peruvian counterpart was "fat"

Mr Garcia said: "It's all a pack of twisted lies to say that Peru has a US military base.

"Why doesn't Mr Morales come to Peru and tell me where this base is?

"It would be better if he didn't stick his nose into Peruvian politics or try to divide Peruvians or make them fight with one another.

"He seems to have done enough of that in Bolivia without getting involved in what's happening over here."

But Mr Morales, who has been at trade talks in Argentina, responded saying that a US military base in Latin America would be a matter of concern for the entire continent.

The US embassy in Peru says around 100 US soldiers are doing humanitarian work in Peru for a few months but it has no plans for a base.

There is a regular tit-for-tat exchange between the governments of Peru and Bolivia based on their political differences.

Mr Garcia, who has put on weight since his first term as a leftist president in the 1980s, is now a US ally and free-marketeer.

This prompted Mr Morales - an ally of the Venezuelan leader, Hugo Chavez - to joke recently that he looked fat and not very anti-imperialist.

This is first time Mr Garcia has responded directly and he says he will not accept an apology.

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