Safe deposit box containing $2.5 million at Mariaca's home: Justiniano rules out all doubt
The Defence Minister asserts that the discovery of millions at the former prosecutor's residence confirms the existence of a corruption and drug trafficking network.
Justiniano: the discovery at Mariaca's home proves a corruption and drug trafficking network
The discovery of a safe deposit box containing more than 2.5 million dollars at the residence of former State Attorney General Róger Mariaca eliminates any margin of doubt, according to Defence Minister Ernesto Justiniano. He indicated this in an interview gathered by El Deber, in which the official affirmed that investigations have moved beyond the stage of conjecture.
"There is no conjecture, there is no doubt, that this matter is confirmed," declared Justiniano in reference to the legal cases facing Mariaca. The minister clarified that the exact amount of money discovered still needs to be quantified and officially established by the responsible investigators.
Beyond Mariaca: a structure to be dismantled
For Justiniano, the case transcends the figure of the former prosecutor. The minister maintained that the investigation must advance towards the identification of the network that allegedly operated around the Public Ministry and which presumably facilitated acts of corruption and drug trafficking.
"It is no longer a matter of Mariaca. The case is not Mariaca, it is not the final point. The issue is already the structure that was behind Mariaca and dismantling it," he stated.
The raids carried out, according to Justiniano, will allow determination of whether there are other residences, persons or activities linked to the investigation. Analysis of technological devices could also provide new evidence. "Surely much more evidence will come from the technological devices," he noted.
Obstacles from the Public Ministry itself
The minister recalled that during Mariaca's detention, the Public Ministry allegedly placed obstacles in the way of advancing proceedings. "It was unprecedented that the Public Ministry put obstacles in something that should have been conducted," affirmed Justiniano, who also mentioned that previously there was a seizure of money in an operation linked to the former prosecutor.
Possible extradition to the United States
Regarding a possible extradition, Justiniano indicated that this determination corresponds to United States authorities and will depend on the process that opens in that country. "Of course, it is a possibility. That depends on the United States," he said.
The minister highlighted the existence of mechanisms of cooperation and exchange of information with international organisations and with Washington. He also recalled that the United States Department of State had previously included Mariaca on a list linked to alleged acts of corruption and protection of drug trafficking.
Institutional remediation, not political persecution
Justiniano rejected the notion that investigations constitute political persecution. "This does not mean a witch hunt. It does not mean that it will also go after people who are honest," he stated. For the minister, the objective is to determine how the structure behind Mariaca functioned and to dismantle it, in order to prevent drug trafficking from again penetrating a key institution for the administration of justice in Bolivia.
Source: El Deber