Message alongside corpse in Santa Cruz threatens Bolivian vice-minister
A man was found murdered in the Ecological Corridor of Santa Cruz with a sign threatening vice-minister Peter Maldonado. The Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating links to organised crime.
Sign alongside unidentified corpse points to Interior Affairs vice-minister
The State Attorney General, José Armando Urioste, described as concerning the threat directed at Interior Affairs Vice-Minister Peter Maldonado, found alongside the body of a murdered man in the Ecological Corridor of Santa Cruz. According to El Deber, the Public Prosecutor's Office is investigating the connection between that message, the homicide, and alleged criminal organisations.
The sign found next to the corpse read: "Peter Maldonado, the deadline has passed. From now on, any deaths that follow will be on your conscience, pay the debt". The victim had not yet been identified at the time of reporting and, according to initial information, was allegedly living on the streets.
"It is concerning that criminal organisations are threatening Bolivian authorities," Urioste declared, confirming that investigations are progressing and the case remains open. In addition to the main sign, investigators detected other messages linked to the incident, whose contents are also part of the inquiry.
The Public Prosecutor's Office seeks to establish who wrote the threats, who the precise recipient was, and whether there is a connection between the messages, the murder, and organised crime activities. So far, authorities have not publicly presented any conclusion about the origin of the warning or the alleged debt mentioned in the sign.
Vice-president demands explanations
Vice-president Edmand Lara asked Maldonado to publicly explain the contents of the threat. "Who threatened him?, what debts does he have?, are these debts with companies or money, or debts with organised crime?", Lara questioned. The vice-president clarified, however, that he is not making accusations and that it is not appropriate to make statements without evidence.
Defence Minister Ernesto Justiniano lamented the threats and demanded that the murders be investigated as a priority. Justiniano also reported that military patrols were reinforced over the weekend in various cities across the country, as part of security measures adopted in response to violent incidents recorded in recent days.
Source: El Deber