Bolivia's President Evo Morales, who resigned hours earlier, denounced the police for issuing what he called an "illegal" police warrant for his arrest, according to a statement on his Twitter on Sunday.

He also accused his opponents of destroying the rule of law, and said his home was attacked by "violent groups."

Luis Fernando Camacho, a conservative leader of the three-week protests that led to Morales' resignation, confirmed there was an arrest warrant out for him.

Camacho tweeted that authorities are looking for Morales in Chapare, an area of central Cochabamba department. "The military took away his presidential plane and he is hiding in Chapare. They are going after him," Camacho wrote.

But the police later denied the comments, clarifying that there is no warrant for the arrest of Morales, a Bolivian police chief said on Sunday in comments aired on a local television channel.

Morales announced his resignation in a national broadcast on Sunday after calling for new national elections to pacify the country.

"We give up so that my brothers stop kicking my sisters, indigenous people and the humble people ... We are renouncing our electoral triumph so that there will be new elections," Morales said in a press conference.

Morales said he will return to the foundations of his coca leaf producers union and continue to work with his colleagues in the production of the plant.

"I don't have to escape from the country, I haven't stolen anything, my works are there and they can be proven," Morales said.

He also thanked the country and the ministers who accompanied him, saying that he has left his letter of resignation to the Legislative Assembly to be considered.

Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera also announced his resignation and said that in the next few hours he will present his resignation letter to the legislative branch to follow the procedure.

After hearing the resignation, the streets of La Paz immediately exploded in celebration, with jubilant Bolivians setting off firecrackers and waving the country's red, yellow and green national flags. The main opposition candidate in the election, former president Carlos Mesa, said Bolivians "have taught the world a lesson. Tomorrow Bolivia will be a new country."

Cuba and Venezuela, long-time allies of the leftist leader, as well as Brazil's leftist leader Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, denounced a "coup."

"We categorically condemn the coup realized against our brother president," Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Twitter.

Peru called on Sunday for the restoration of a "peaceful existence" in Bolivia in an official statement, calling for transparent elections with the aid of the Organization of American States.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday voiced his deep concern about the situation in Bolivia following weeks of unrest that culminated in the resignation of Morales.

The UN chief urged all concerned in Bolivia to refrain from violence, reduce tension and exercise maximum restraint, said Stephane Dujarric, Guterres' spokesperson, in a statement.

Guterres called on all actors to abide by international law, notably fundamental human rights principles, said the statement.

The secretary-general also appealed to all actors to commit to achieve a peaceful resolution of the current crisis and ensure a transparent and credible re-run of the elections, it said.  

(With input from Xinhua, Reuters, AFP)