Bolivian minister says no impunity for the coup perpetrators

La Paz, February 24 (RHC)-- Bolivia’s Presidency Minister Maria-Nela Prada said that there will be no impunity for those who committed crimes during the U.S.-backed coup against President Evo Morales in 2019.

"I want to state clearly and firmly that there will be no amnesty.  In Bolivia, there are no political prisoners.  The people know who the perpetrators of crimes against democracy are," she said.

Earlier this week, the Civic Committee Pro Santa Cruz President Romulo Calvo said that Bolivia’s President Luis Arce has until February 25th to decree amnesties for alleged political prisoners, including the Santa Cruz Governor Fernando Camacho, who was arrested for supporting the 2019 coup and bribing military and police.  Calvo also threatened Arce with initiating a revocation process if the Bolivian President did not comply with the petition, which some citizens allegedly carried out in squares on January 25th.

"Calvo must stop using such political speeches to camouflage his coup intentions, which seek democracy destabilization. He has to accept the popular vote and the legitimacy of our government, which responds to the interests of the people and not those of the political elites," Prada stated.

She stated that an amnesty is contrary to what was established by the Interdisciplinary Group of Independent Experts (GIEI), which prohibits this initiative in the recommendations it gave to the Bolivian State to investigate the crimes committed during the coup.

"Between October and November 2022, the 2019 coup perpetrators promoted the burning, looting, and destruction of about 30 public buildings, including the Prosecutor’s Office and the Police headquarters," Prada recalled.

"I remind Calvo that the Bolivian people have no owners, no bosses.  Our citizens are united and organized enough to defend their democracy, which has cost us so much mourning and pain," she pointed out.