Bolivia's Attorney General rejects US accusations of drug trafficking and demands sovereignty
Attorney General Roger Mariaca demanded institutional respect following visa restrictions imposed by the US State Department. Washington accuses him of corruption and links to drug trafficking.
Mariaca responds to Washington following visa restriction over alleged narcotics links
Bolivia's Attorney General, Roger Mariaca, rejected accusations from the United States government on Monday evening during a press conference held in Sucre, the country's capital. According to confirmado.net, Mariaca demanded respect for Bolivian sovereignty after the US State Department restricted his visa for entry into the North American country.
"Bolivia is a sovereign state, its institutions have the responsibility to investigate, prosecute and clarify the facts that correspond within the framework of our Constitution. Just as we respect the institutions of each country, we demand respect for Bolivian institutions," Mariaca declared to the press.
The US State Department justified the measure by alleging "participation in significant acts of corruption" by the attorney general, as well as the acceptance of bribes from drug trafficking and alleged collaboration to allow violent criminals to evade justice.
"We cannot accept that the work I have been carrying out as attorney general of the state, a position granted democratically in accordance with institutional procedures, be called into question by decisions or statements from abroad," Mariaca stated.
The list of sanctioned individuals includes a total of 21 people, among Bolivian authorities and former authorities. Among the most prominent are the regional prosecutor of Santa Cruz, Alberto Zeballos Flores; the former Minister of Justice, Iván Lima; the constitutional magistrate Israel Ramiro Campero; and the superior prosecutor of Chuquisaca, Álvaro Mauricio Nava. Nine of the 21 sanctioned individuals did not previously have US visas.
The measure is part of the Shield of the Americas initiative, aimed at combating transnational crime. In that context, Washington also sanctioned authorities, businessmen and former authorities from Peru, Colombia and Ecuador.
Mariaca indicated that he will continue with his ongoing investigations, including the case of political advisor Fernando Cerimedo, who worked with the presidents Rodrigo Paz of Bolivia, Javier Milei of Argentina and Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil, and whose activity generated international repercussions.
(Information from Sputnik News Agency)
Source: Google News BO — Crime