The MHP leader compared Turkey to Bolivia, accusing the United States of ousting Bolivian President Evo Morales this week, but saying this would not work against Turkey.
“Those who failed to turn Turkey into a new Syria or Iraq had best remember that if they try what they did in Bolivia on Turkey, the price will be very steep,” Bahçeli said.
The far-right leader went on to rehash popular conspiracy theories that claim Turkey is battling against a secretive global conspiracy working against its interests.
“The United States has tried virtually every means in its power to stop Operation Peace Spring and put out our struggle against terrorism,” Bahçeli said.
Bahçeli said criticism of what he called an historic meeting was unfair and based on prejudice, likely referring to opposition calls for Erdoğan to cancel the visit.
The MHP leader said that Turkey’s enemies had created a range of outlawed groups, from Islamic State, to Kurdish militants, to the religious movement blamed for a coup attempt in 2016, and used them against Turkey.
Morales stepped down on Nov. 10 under pressure from mass public protests, political groups and the Bolivian military.
The Bolivian former president won elections on Oct. 20, but the vote was marred by allegations of fraud. Morales ran for a fourth term, despite the Bolivian constitution allowing presidents to serve only two terms. He lost a constitutional referendum to extend his legal term limit in 2016, but ran again this year after a court ruled that the limit infringed on his political rights.