ANKARA

Bolivia's former President Evo Morales on Thursday welcomed the central bank's decision to return a $346.7 million loan and interest to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Morales congratulated President Luis Arce's return of "the surrender, onerous and conditional credit assumed by the dictatorship against the interests of our people."

The interim government of Jeanine Anez approved the loan last year amid a political crisis following Morales' forced resignation in 2019.

"Bolivia is once again free, dignified, and sovereign," he added.

Bolivia's Central Bank said Wednesday that the loan plus $4.7$ million in interest was returned to the IMF.

"This loan, in addition to being irregular and onerous due to financial conditions, generated additional and millions in costs to the Bolivian state," according to the bank.

Morales took political asylum in Mexico and then Argentina after he was forced to resign flowing an election that showed him winning an unprecedented third term,

He returned to Bolivia in early November after terrorism and sedition charges, a process opened by the Anez government, was annulled by a court in late October.

The court decision came shortly after Morales' party Movement For Socialism won the Oct. 18 presidential elections with 55.1% of votes.