ANKARA

Bolivia's president Evo Morales on Tuesday called on the people to maintain unity during a mass rally for democracy in capital La Paz.

Thousands of Bolivians gathered to support their elected leader Morales and safeguard democracy in the wake of elections contested by the opposition.

Somos un Estado Plurinacional, una familia grande. Podremos tener diferencias, pero eso no justifica el racismo ni la violencia. Defenderemos lo que el pueblo logró con sacrificio. La democracia no termina con el voto; sobre todo, significa trabajar para los más humildes. pic.twitter.com/krP7Z989SP

— Evo Morales Ayma (@evoespueblo) November 5, 2019

Morales slammed opposition groups that do not accept the results of a "legitimate" election and accused them of trying to stage a coup.

"... unity will always defeat those who sell their homelands, with unity there will always be more projects and development of the Bolivians," Morales said during his address to people which was streamed live on Twitter.

Referring to Carlos Mesa, leader of the Revolutionary Left Front party who refused to concede defeat, Morales said: "Now we realize that it was not fraud but a coup d'etat [by them], so we will continue to defend what the people conquered."

The people will triumph to guarantee democracy, to guarantee equality, he said.

Bolivia is in a political unrest after alleged irregularities in presidential elections held late October.

Mesa said he will not recognize Morales' victory, claiming there was "fraud" in the vote count.