Cochamanidis demands new police leadership to execute arrest warrant against Evo Morales
The president of the pro-Santa Cruz committee pressures the new interim police commander to comply with the judicial order against the former president.
Police change revives pressure over Evo Morales arrest
The president of the pro-Santa Cruz committee, Stello Cochamanidis, demanded on 31 August that the change in the leadership of the Bolivian Police result in effective compliance with pending judicial orders, including the one against former president Evo Morales. According to El Deber, that same day Colonel Adrián Javier Álvarez Arismendi took office as new interim general commander, following the resignation of General Mirko Sokol Saravia.
"He has to do his job, he has to fulfil his role, and he definitely has to comply with the arrest warrant against Evo Morales – that has to be his main objective so there is stability in the country. Starting from there, everything will be possible," Cochamanidis said about the new police leadership.
The civic leader pointed out that the priority of the new authority should be to obey the existing judicial mandates. His statement is part of the criminal complaint filed on 1 July by the pro-Santa Cruz committee against Morales, the executive secretary of the Bolivian Workers' Central (COB), Mario Argollo, and peasant leader Vicente Salazar. The civic groups held them responsible for promoting 53 days of roadblocks that affected the country between May and June, and asked the Public Ministry to accelerate investigations and issue arrest warrants.
Morales responded to these charges on 30 July in an interview on Radio Kawsachun Coca, in which he rejected the accusations and claimed to be innocent. "I only say that, if you have legal arguments, you have the right to proceed. And if it is for a political action, well, that is another thing (…) I am not guilty of any of these crimes," he said.
The civic complaint states that the mobilisations sought to force the resignation of President Rodrigo Paz. The departments of La Paz and Cochabamba were most affected during the conflict, whilst Santa Cruz suffered significant productive losses as a result of the roadblocks in San Julián, Guarayos and San Germán, which cut off the transport of merchandise.
At the peak of the strike there were more than 100 active roadblock points, along with shortages, clashes and other social conflicts. The pro-Santa Cruz committee maintains that the protests left 22 people dead and generated losses in the millions of dollars.
To date, the only person detained in connection with the case is leader Vicente Salazar, who is being held in preventive detention at Chonchocoro prison. Morales and Argollo remain free despite the arrest warrants that were requested.
Source: El Deber