Vice Minister Maldonado: Suspects of threats identified and imminent arrests in Bolivia
Peter Maldonado asserts that security forces know those responsible for narco-related threats against him and announces imminent detentions. He also accuses former prosecutor Mariaca of leading a criminal network.
Maldonado announces arrests and accuses former prosecutor Mariaca of heading criminal structure
Vice Minister of Interior Regime, Peter Maldonado, stated on Wednesday that those responsible for the threats against him, attributed to drug trafficking, have already been identified by security forces and will be detained in the coming hours or days. According to El Deber, the statements were made following the presentation of swords to new generals of the Police at the National Police Academy in La Paz.
"We have them identified, we know who they are and certainly in the coming hours, in the coming days we are going to find them and they will account for themselves before Justice," Maldonado declared. He revealed no names or organisations involved, and did not specify whether arrest warrants are currently in effect.
The vice minister stressed that the threats will not halt the Government's offensive against organised crime. He cited a slogan from President Rodrigo Paz: "We will not take a step to the side. We are going to take three steps forward to fight against narcotics." He noted further that the instruction from the president and the minister of government, Marco Antonio Oviedo, is to pursue criminals without agreements or negotiations. "We will not negotiate with narcotics traffickers. We will not negotiate with criminality," he insisted.
The threats and intimidation being investigated by authorities are occurring in the context of violent incidents in Santa Cruz.
Accusations against Mariaca and Saucedo
Maldonado accused former attorney general Róger Mariaca, held in preventive detention, of heading an alleged criminal network. "The narco-prosecutor was the head of drug trafficking, was the head of criminality," he asserted, also linking the contract killings and threats recorded in the country with that structure.
The vice minister extended his accusations to the president of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), Rómer Saucedo, who announced his departure from Bolivia with his family and declared himself in exile claiming political persecution. "The flight of Rómer Saucedo is also related. Many of Mariaca's accomplices and those involved in criminality are escaping and putting themselves to safety," Maldonado stated.
The official presented no evidence to allow verification of that link, nor did he specify what facts he attributes concretely to the magistrate. Fernando López, former Defence Minister, also connected Saucedo's departure with the Mariaca case, although without providing additional evidence.
Offensive without turning back
Despite the scenario of pressures, Maldonado reaffirmed his participation in the governmental campaign. "We are going to fight corruption, we are going to fight criminality and we are going to fight drug trafficking and we will defeat them," he declared.
The offensive also aims at corruption in the judicial system, according to the vice minister, in line with Executive guidelines not to establish agreements with criminal organisations.
Source: El Deber