President Paz demands that regional governors combat organised crime and corrupt prosecutors
President Rodrigo Paz called on regional governors and mayors to join forces against organised crime and prosecutors who extort businesspeople.
Paz calls on municipalities and regional governors to fight organised crime and fiscal corruption
President Rodrigo Paz called on regional governors and mayors across the country to join the fight against organised crime, according to eldia.com.bo. At an event marking the 124th anniversary of the Battle of Bahía, held in Pando, the head of state also denounced the existence of public prosecutors' offices that extort businesspeople and maintain links with drug trafficking.
"I want the regional governors and mayors to help me fight organised crime in this country. I want them to participate in ending public prosecutors' offices that do nothing but extort businesspeople," Paz said during the event.
The statements come amid investigations against former attorney general Roger Mariaca for alleged links to drug trafficking. Mariaca is currently detained in Patacamaya.
The head of state maintained that these practices generate mistrust in institutions and damage the country's credibility. He warned that without legal certainty, Bolivia will face difficulties in attracting both domestic and foreign investment.
Paz noted that organised crime and drug trafficking operate across the entire national territory, from west to east and from south to north. For this reason, he considered coordinated participation between municipalities, regional governments, and the central Government essential.
The president also recounted that he was advised not to travel to Cobija due to security risks following operations against alleged members of criminal organisations in that region. Despite this, he asserted that his Government would continue the fight against narco-terrorism and corruption.
Source: Google News BO — Crime