Former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev fled Kyrgyzstan on Thursday. His youngest son Maxim is based in Latvia.

RIGA — Reports in recent days have indicated that the deposed president of Kyrgyzstan may take up residence in Latvia, though local officials here are stressing that they have not received any requests from Kurmanbek Bakiyev for asylum or residency.

Bakiyev fled Kyrgyzstan on Thursday under a deal negotiated between opposition forces that seized power and the governments of Russia, Kazakhstan and the United States. A source told the Interfax agency that Bakiyev might eventually fly to Latvia, where his youngest son, Maxim, is based.

Earlier this week the head of the opposition movement and current Kyrgyz leader, Roza Otunbayeva, told The Associated Press that Bakiyev, whose regime she accused of the deaths of over 80 protesters, would likely join his son in Latvia.

Latvian officials, however, reiterate that have received no requests from either Bakiyev or his relatives for asylum or residency in the Baltic state. Granted, Latvia does not have an embassy in Bishkek, so there is a possibility Bakiyev may yet submit such a request.

Maxim Bakiyev’s presence in Latvia also lacks clarity. He was never issued a visa to Latvia, which means he arrived on a Schengen visa issued by another country. The LETA agency reported Friday that Maxim left the country in the morning and “probably went in an eastern direction.”

Given the fact that Riga’s airport was shut down on midnight Thursday due to the volcanic ash cloud that is hovering over Northern Europe, this would mean that Bakiyev left by either a small plane or automobile.

Be that as it may, the 32-year-old has considerable business interests in Latvia, where he is a close associate of local magnate Valery Belokon, owner and chairman of Belokon Holdings and chairman of Manas Bank in Kyrgyzstan. Together the two own Maval Aktivi, a financial consultancy, and Bakiyev is also on the board of Kimmel Riga, a brewery.

Meanwhile, reports emanating from Kyrgyzstan indicate that Maxim is not welcome back at home and that he has even become a persona non grata, if not the target of a major investigation into graft. Maxim headed the Central Asia republic’s development agency in charge of overseeing foreign investments.

Otunbayeva and her allies are accusing Bakiyev and his family of corruption, nepotism and enriching themselves at the expense of the Kyrgyz people. The Kremlin has echoed the incriminations in a statement.

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