Bolivia to Request Extradition of Añez Regime's Top Official

Bolivia's Interior Minister Eduardo del Castillo confirmed that his country will ask the United States for the extradition of Rodrigo Mendez. He served as chief of staff to Arturo Murillo, who was interior minister in the coup-born regime led by Jeanine Añez (2019-2020).

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He was arrested in Florida for requesting a bribe of US$582,000 to grant a contract for the purchase of tear gas ammunition for the coup-born regime. 

The purchase from the Brazilian company Condor was for almost US$7 million. The acquisition was made through the U.S. company Bravo Tactical Solutions with an alleged overprice of US$2.3 million, which would have been used in bribes.

The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported that Mendez allegedly received a second bribe payment up to US$714,000 in cash.

The evidence gathered from text messages, e-mails, and bank records revealed that Mendez was requested to write a letter to the Brazilian manufacturer to insist that the Añez regime would only buy the products through Bryan Berkman's company.

Del Castillo explained that the extradition would be requested through Interpol channels and diplomatic notes to the U.S. State Department.

"We are sending the corresponding notes so that these people come to account to the Bolivian people," he said, adding that Mendez and Murillo "took advantage of the opportunity to sow drug trafficking and corruption in our country."