Bolivian prosecutor Mariaca removed from office over alleged drug-trafficking protection
Bolivia's Legislative Assembly removed prosecutor general Roger Mariaca, who is in custody on suspicion of protecting drug trafficking. José Armando Urioste was elected as interim prosecutor general.
Bolivia's legislative body removes prosecutor general Mariaca
Bolivia's Legislative Assembly permanently suspended prosecutor general Roger Mariaca on Friday, who is in custody and accused of alleged protection of drug trafficking. In his place, it elected lawyer José Armando Urioste as interim head of the Public Ministry, according to publico.es.
The legislative session convened near midnight on Friday. The Legislative Assembly first removed Mariaca following prior approval of a reform to the Organic Law of the Public Ministry that incorporated a mechanism for the "permanent suspension" of the prosecutor general when "formally charged and/or subject to a personal precautionary measure for offences punishable" by imprisonment.
After several hours of deliberation and approximately five votes among three candidates proposed by forces with parliamentary representation, Urioste was elected interim prosecutor general "by more than two-thirds", according to Diego Ávila, president of the Senate. Ávila indicated that Urioste would take the oath on Monday and would remain in office until Parliament designated a new prosecutor general through the constitutional process established.
The new law and removal were objected to mainly by legislators from the ruling Christian Democratic Party, aligned with vice-president Edmand Lara, declared an opponent of the Government. The law was considered on Friday in both chambers and immediately enacted by president Rodrigo Paz.
Mariaca was elected prosecutor general in October 2024 for a six-year term by the previous Legislative Assembly, when the Movement for Socialism held the majority. His detention occurred last Wednesday, accused by the Government of leading a "criminal organisation" to protect "narco-terrorism" in the country.
The detention occurred two days after the United States Government included him on a list of high-ranking officials and former officials accused of being "corrupt" and of "undermining democratically elected Governments". The Bolivian Government has detained at least 14 people in these investigations, including three prosecutors in addition to Mariaca.
President Paz indicated that it is necessary to "rebuild" Bolivian justice because there were operators who "through organised crime, want to control institutions of the State that belong to its people and not to illicit groups of national" and "international" order.
Source: Google News ES — Crime (es)