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Latin America
Trial Urged for Bolivia’s Former Leader
2003-10-23
A key Communist opposition leader argued Wednesday that the former Bolivian president forced from office last week should face charges for his government’s bloody attempts to quell weeks of street protests. Congressman Evo Morales, the leader of Bolivia’s coca leaf farmers and assorted leftist thugs, asked a federal prosecutor to charge Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada with ``genocide’’ after dozens of people died in street rioting.
’rioting’ being the key word.
The attorney general’s office confirmed the filing of the legal action against Sanchez de Lozada, who resigned last Friday before fleeing to the United States. The complaint is expected to be examined by Congress, which has the authority to decide whether further legal action is warranted. Under Bolivia’s constitution, any investigation would require approval by two-thirds of the 130 lawmakers in the lower house. If approved, the case would then go the Senate, which would act as judge in any proceeding. Human rights groups have criticized Bolivia’s military and police for what they said was the government’s heavy-handed response to the protests. Days of clashes brought stick-wielding demonstrators into confrontation with heavily armed police and soldiers.
Wield a stick against a police officer? Don’t that carry a certain understood element of risk?
On Wednesday, Bolivia’s Human Rights Assembly said as many as 80 people may have died in the protests. Police have confirmed only 42 deaths. Separately, State Prosecutor Antonio Santamaria said his office has opened an investigation to determine the final death toll. ``There are some people who disappeared, and some victims have not been reported because they had no relatives,’’ said Sacha Llorenti, secretary of the independent Human Rights Assembly.
That didn’t stop them from coming out to riot.
Sanchez de Lozada had no immediate public comment on Morales’ accusations. After he resigned last Friday, he flew to Washington amid concerns about his safety. In an interview Monday with Associated Press Television News, Sanchez de Lozada said he would remain in the United States for a while ``because at this moment my family and myself could be victims of an attempt on our lives and this worries me.’’
Sounds like a reasonable concern.
Posted by:Steve White

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Posted by: Super Hose   2003-10-23 9:44:53 PM  

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Posted by: Sorge   2003-10-23 10:48:57 AM  

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Posted by: Robert Crawford   2003-10-23 7:09:37 AM  

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Posted by: Tokyo Taro   2003-10-23 1:07:33 AM  

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