Government plane from Mexico - offering Morales asylum - refuels in Peru

A government plane from Mexico - which has offered Bolivia's outgoing President Evo Morales political asylum - has refuelled in Lima on the way to Bolivia, Peru's foreign ministry said on Monday evening.

In a statement the ministry said the plane left for Bolivia at 6:30 p.m. (2330 GMT). "This decision is consistent with our obligations arising from the Caracas Convention of 1954 on Diplomatic Asylum," it added.

Morales was granted asylum by Mexico, who asked that the leftist leader be granted safe passage to leave Bolivia.