Evo Morales and 147 others investigated over road blockades in Bolivia
Bolivia's public prosecutor's office opened a criminal case including former president Evo Morales among 148 people under investigation in connection with protests that closed roads for nearly two months.
Evo Morales and 147 others investigated over road blockades in Bolivia
Bolivia's General State Prosecutor's Office opened a criminal case in which former president Evo Morales is among 148 people under investigation, linked to demonstrations and road closures that social sectors maintained for 53 days to demand the resignation of president Rodrigo Paz. The information was published by Prensa Latina.
Chief prosecutor Róger Mariaca detailed that the list of defendants also includes Mario Argollo, main leader of the Bolivian Workers' Centre (COB), and Vicente Salazar, who was an executive of the Túpac Katari Federation in La Paz.
According to the official, the case is being handled by the Departmental Prosecutor's Office of Santa Cruz, where a subject-matter prosecutor is conducting the investigations alongside officers from the Bolivian Police. The proceedings include formal requests and the summoning of possible witnesses who may provide information about what occurred.
Mariaca emphasised that actions would be based exclusively on objective evidence. "We cannot rely on mere assumptions; we have to be objective when opening a report, whether ex officio or based on a complaint from someone," he stated.
Regarding Salazar, held preventively for half a year in the high-security Chonchocoro prison, the prosecutor indicated that his arrest was made after the Ministry of Government requested a detention order, having detected signs of possible crimes.
On proposals for anti-blockade laws presented by some legislators, Mariaca clarified that such debate is the responsibility of parliament. He reaffirmed that the institution he heads would continue to intervene within its competences when there are indications of infractions.
The case gains additional context following the peace pact signed on 19 June between Paz and Argollo, where the Executive committed to not supporting regulations that penalise protest or persecute protest leaders through political, judicial or media channels.
Source: Google News BO — Crime