Tarija Public Prosecutor's Office Reopens Case of Journalist Cristian Mariscal, Missing Since 2014
The newly appointed departmental prosecutor of Tarija will announce a commission of prosecutors to review Mariscal's disappearance, unresolved after 12 years.
New Tarija prosecutor takes up case of missing journalist Cristian Mariscal
The appointed departmental prosecutor of Tarija, Lesly Alemán Leaño, announced the reopening of the disappearance case of journalist Cristian Mariscal, which occurred on 19 January 2014. According to El Deber, the case has remained unsolved for twelve years without the material or intellectual authors having been identified.
Alemán explained that a commission of prosecutors would be formed to conduct an exhaustive review of all the evidence previously gathered, given the importance of the case and the time that has elapsed.
Mariscal was 30 years old when he was last seen on the night of 19 January 2014 at the home of his ex-partner in the Las Panosas neighbourhood, after having attended a nightclub where he worked. Since then, his whereabouts have been unknown, as have those of the vehicle in which he was travelling.
The investigations made no progress amid irregularities: some evidence was contaminated due to the alleged negligence of Public Prosecutor's Office officials from that era.
Alemán stated that the case is relevant to the press sector and that it had been postponed for too long. The prosecutor assumed office this Thursday in replacement of José Ernesto Mogro and thanked the State's General Prosecutor, Róger Mariaca, for his confidence. "My commitment to Tarija is to work with responsibility, honesty and dedication, ensuring that the institution is up to the needs and expectations of the population," she stated.
In the same appearance, Alemán noted that the Bolivian Police are empowered to execute the arrest warrant against former president Evo Morales for the alleged crime of aggravated human trafficking. She indicated that the Tarija Public Prosecutor's Office has already presented formal charges and that the case is before the First Trial Court of the Departmental Court of Justice, with a declaration of default.
The prosecutor also announced that other ongoing investigations would be reinforced with additional prosecutor staff, including the case of the murder of Mauricio Aramayo, a friend of President Rodrigo Paz Pereira.
Source: El Deber