2023-12-27 23:31:40
The Bolivian Prosecutor’s Office accused the governor of the Santa Cruz region and main opposition leader, Luis Fernando Camacho, as the author, and the former president Jeanine Áñez, as an accomplice, of forcing the resignation of Evo Morales from the presidency in 2019 in the midst of a strong social upheaval. “It has been possible to identify that (Camacho’s) conduct is consistent with the commission of the crimes of terrorist financing, active bribery, seduction of troops, public incitement to commit a crime, criminal association,” prosecutor Omar Mejillones said at a press conference. , in charge of the case known as “coup d’état I.”
Prosecutor Mejillones informed the media that a formal accusation was filed against the opponent Camacho, the former Minister of Defense, Luis Fernando López, the former military chief Williams Kaliman and the former police chief Yuri Calderón as perpetrators. The former interim president Áñez, the civic leader Marco Antonio Pumari, the former inspector of the Armed Forces, Jorge Fernández and the former military chief Carlos Orellana are accused as “accomplices.”
What are they accusing Camacho of?
Mejillones maintained that the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison will be requested for those accused of terrorism as perpetrators, including Camacho. He added that there are 133 documentary evidence and 131 testimonial evidence offered in the accusation, including bank statements from Camacho with which, he said, they could prove that the governor moved money when he was president of the Pro Santa Cruz Civic Committee to transfer people from Peace towards Santa Cruz in the 2019 crisis.
He also stated that there is a technical report of “cross calls” between Camacho and former Minister López and Kaliman, as well as invoices and money transfers, among others. Lawyer Martín Camacho, defender of the governor of Santa Cruz, indicated that they have not yet been notified with the formal accusation and that they will wait for official notification, but he considered that the intention is to “perpetuate the detention” of the governor.
Camacho’s relatives called for a march to be held on Thursday in repudiation of his detention, which has now been in effect for one year. In a press conference, the governor’s son, Luis Fernando Camacho Parada, expressed: “This December 28, we reaffirm our commitment as a family, to the democratic values of Santa Cruz, which are freedom and democracy. We reaffirm our desire to fight for that Rule of law that Bolivians long for.”
The son of the opposition leader emphasized that the message he wants to give to the government of President Luis Arce is the rejection of his arrest, which the family described as a “kidnapping,” and the reaffirmation of “democratic values.” For her part, the governor’s wife, Fátima Jordán, announced that several sectors will speak out against the imprisonment of the governor of Santa Cruz, such as merchants, medical associations, provincial civic committees and social leaders.
With the Bible in hand
Camacho has been preventively imprisoned since last December 28 for this case and other proceedings against him in the maximum security prison of Chonchocoro, in the highlands of La Paz. The coup I case was initiated by former pro-government deputy Lidia Patty and the other crimes for which they are accused are criminal association, misuse of public goods and services, public incitement to commit a crime, among others.
The ruling party denounces that in 2019 there was a coup against former president Evo Morales (2006-2019). In a message on the social network “To silence the protest over the assault on the judicial body, the Arce government reactivates the persecution against opponents,” questioned Mesa.
For the Coup I case, two former Áñez ministers, Álvaro Coimbra and Rodrigo Guzmán, were sentenced to two years in prison in an abbreviated process in which the admission of guilt is assumed. Four former military chiefs underwent abbreviated proceedings in exchange for lesser sentences in this case. In addition to this process, there is another one called “coup d’état II” in which Áñez was sentenced to 10 years, accused of illegally placing herself in the line of succession in 2019.
The opposition leader, at that time, chaired the civil-business committee of Santa Cruz, and publicly asked Morales to resign, after accusing him of promoting electoral fraud that year to stay in power until 2025. Camacho then announced that he would go until Morales’ offices to sign a letter of resignation, which he would carry in his left hand and the Bible in his right hand. According to him, the administration at that time governed far from biblical principles.
The Minister of the Presidency, Marianela Prada, denied this Tuesday an alleged political persecution against Camacho. “We have reiterated it, it is not that there is a kidnapping or political prisoners at this moment, so justice is what has to respond and, above all, people before justice like any citizen,” Prada said in statements to the newspaper. Now the People.
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