Several officials of the U.S.-backed "Interim" government are being investigated for a financial operation that harmed the interests of the Bolivian State.
Bolivia's Special Anti-Crime Force (FELCC) requested the arrest of former Economy Minister Jose Luis Parada for the irregular contracting of a US$346 million loan with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) during the coup-born regime led by Jeanine Añez (2019-2020).
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On Aug. 28, Parada should have appeared before the Public Prosecutor's Office to testify. Given that he never showed up, the FELCC sent a request for his arrest to Prosecutor Mauricio Jara, who is handling the matter.
This case also implicates the former "Interim" president Añez and Guillermo Aponte, the former president of the Bolivian Central Bank (BCB). Previously, Carlos Schlink, the former Vice Minister of Finance, was detained.
Bolivian Justice also announced that it will try Parada for unconstitutional offenses, anti-economic behavior, and breach of duty.
Muchas gracias, David Choquehuanca, Vice President of #Bolivia, for your visit today, and a very constructive discussion on the challenges we are facing globally to stop #COVID19 from spreading. We agreed that we have solutions and that we need to #ACTogether in solidarity. pic.twitter.com/uQUyTMLH6v
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) September 29, 2021
In February, the Central Bank paid the IFM loan in full but with a financial cost that reached US$24.3 million, of which US$19.6 million were due to exchange rate variations and US$4.7 million were related to commissions and interest rates.
Since April, Añez has been in preventive prison. She is accused of sedition, terrorism, and conspiracy, among other crimes. Two other former ministers of her administration, Alvaro Coimbra and Rodrigo Guzman, are in prison in La Paz.
Former Public Works Minister Yerko Nunez has declared himself in "hiding". Others, such as former Foreign Minister Karen Longaric, left Bolivia since Luis Arce won the presidential elections in Oct. 2020.
#FromTheSouth News Bits | On Monday night there were 20 active fires in Santa Cruz state, in Bolivia affecting seven protected areas. The government said 200,000 hectares (495,000 acres) had burned in just two days. pic.twitter.com/oa6wZFaTYz
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) August 25, 2021