120 Bolivian police officers trained in elite counter-narcoterrorism programme at Brazil border
Bolivia launches an elite course for 120 officers in La Paz to combat organised crime at the Brazil border. The initiative forms part of the 'Safe Borders Plan'.
Bolivia trains 120 elite agents to counter crime at Brazil border
According to infobae.com, more than one hundred lieutenants and sergeants from Bolivia's police force will begin a specialised course against "narcoterrorism" next Monday at the National Police Academy (Anapol) in La Paz.
The Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Police Strengthening and Transparency, Peter Maldonado, confirmed to the media that approximately 120 "newly graduated" officers will receive this elite training. Upon completion of the training, they will be deployed to four regions on the border with Brazil, an area where, according to Maldonado, the country's most serious organised crime problems have been concentrated. The Deputy Minister assumed leadership of his portfolio on Wednesday.
The initiative is part of the 'Safe Borders Plan', launched in August by Rodrigo Paz's Government to reinforce control in border areas classified as "critical" and to contain the advance of organised crime. The plan emerged following a wave of violence in Santa Cruz, the country's most populous region, which included the shooting deaths of four civilians and an intelligence officer in the locality of San Matías, also in August.
The Government attributes much of these crimes to a dispute between two Brazilian criminal organisations — the First Capital Command (PCC) and Red Command (CV) — over control of drug trafficking routes on the bilateral border, a conflict that has intensified violence in Bolivian zones of the Chiquitania and Amazon regions.
Maldonado emphasised that the strategy also includes "active participation of the civil population". To this end, a working group will be organised with sectors present in border zones, including Brazil nut producers, cattle ranchers, motorcycle taxi drivers and merchants.
In parallel, the Paz Government announced weeks ago that Brazil's Federal Police will soon open a permanent office in Bolivia to facilitate information exchange and strengthen joint efforts against criminal organisations. Last week, the Government Minister, Marco Antonio Oviedo, also reported on the creation of two elite units in areas close to the Brazil border, with United States support, specifically aimed at combating violence linked to drug trafficking.
Source: Google News BO — La Paz