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Prosecutor says she was forced to stop Evo Morales’ arrest for human trafficking

  • October 3, 2024
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The prosecutor of the department of the Bolivian region of Tarija, Sandra Gutiérrez, said this Wednesday that the head of the state ministry dismissed her from her position

Prosecutor says she was forced to stop Evo Morales’ arrest for human trafficking

The prosecutor of the department of the Bolivian region of Tarija, Sandra Gutiérrez, said this Wednesday that the head of the state ministry dismissed her from her position and ordered the cancellation of the arrest warrant against former President Evo Morales (2006-2019) as part of an investigation into possible human trafficking and human trafficking.

In statements to the media, Gutierrez explained that he first received instructions from state Attorney General Juan Lanchipa to drop the case and dissolve the commission created to investigate it, since the Special Prosecutor’s Office for Gender-Based Crimes would presumably be in charge of the investigation. This. Youth.

According to Gutierrez, Lanchipa’s instructions also stated that “he must rescind any regulation issued that is contrary to these instructions,” which meant “nullification of the commission” because, he assured, he was threatened with “criminal and disciplinary proceedings if he did not do so.” ” i.e.

The former prosecutor explained that on that day, two of the commission’s three prosecutors received “letters of gratitude” for their services and that she was removed from office after refusing to resign.

Gutiérrez assured that the new person in charge of the case “has come to prevent, to abolish this structure and to completely stop all the investigations that we have been conducting.”

“Given the many guidelines that we had, we had an arrest warrant for Juan Evo Morales Ayma, we also had (arrest warrants) for other people. “They left it void,” he said.

The lawyer, who was Justice Minister in the administration of President Morales in 2014, explained that they do not know “how” the arrest warrant was leaked “since it was not served on anyone.”

“However, one hour (before his execution) we were notified of the release in the city of Santa Cruz, not even here (in Tarija), so the arrest warrant for Juan Evo was canceled.” “, he said.

In Santa Cruz, the freedom suit was filed against only two prosecutors who were fired that day, and a third official was expelled, Gutierrez said.

The case Morales is being investigated involves an alleged crime of “human trafficking” and “could have occurred” when the alleged victim “was 15 years old” in the province of Tarija, although Gutiérrez apologized for providing further details. since there is a minor involved.

Gutierrez noted that “the background is based on an intelligence report” and said there was supposedly a “specific order” from Lanchipa to do “absolutely nothing” in the matter.

“I can’t leave. How will society then believe the victims, how are they going to appear before the Ministry of State, whatever department it may be, if there is such an intervention,” he wondered.

He also noted that he would analyze the possibility of filing an international complaint, “since the crime of trafficking in persons is a crime against humanity.”

The case comes amid an internal struggle within the government’s Movement Towards Socialism (MAS) between factions linked to Morales and the country’s President Luis Arce over control of the party, the form of government and the presidential candidacy in the 2025 general elections. EFE

Source: Aristegui Noticias

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