Two years of a shameful kidnapping and selective justice

by María René Álvarez – representative of Creo

This December 28 marks two years since the Luis Arce regime decided to kidnap the governor of Santa Cruz, Luis Fernando Camacho. 730 days have passed since the illegal and unjust confinement of the first Santa Cruz authority in the Chonchocoro plateau.

The people of Santa Cruz know that each accusation in this montage called “coup d’état” was just a trick by the Masista government to punish those who led the civil and civic protests of 2019 in the face of Evo Morales’ shameful electoral fraud. In these two years, several revelations emerged about the manipulation that was carried out against Luis Fernando Camacho, but also against Jeanine Áñez and Marco Pumari, in order to keep them behind bars thanks to the complicity of justice operators servile to power.

Due process has not been respected, not even the natural judge in another montage called ‘fire truck’, which was to be tried in Santa Cruz. The Government is not interested in complying with the law and therefore rejected all judicial determinations for the transfer of the governor to Tierra Camba.

They are afraid of the reaction of the people, which, far from being violent, would be a sign that the people do not forget their representatives and Camacho would be received with caravans of green and white flags.

There are two years of complete judicial manipulation, invented evidence and violation of the fundamental rights of an elected authority with more than 55 percent of the votes. Neither their privacy nor their health, much less their personal safety, have been guaranteed by the Government, through its Ministry of Government and Penitentiary Regime.

And it is these same political and judicial authorities that kidnap a governor of the people, but leave free and unpunished a subject accused of rape, sexual abuse, statutory rape and human trafficking.

The arrest warrant against Evo Morales continues to be passed from desk to desk between Tarija, Cochabamba and La Paz. No one dares to enter the Chapare fiefdom to arrest and transfer that subject to a cell, which is where he belongs, due to the seriousness of the accusations against him.

The Prosecutor’s Office, the Police and the Ministry of Government only make announcements and warnings through the media, to pretend that they are on the trail of a criminal. But no one moves forward and they let that subject not only remain free but make fun of justice. “Am I stupid to turn myself in?” he said with complete impunity. He knows they’re not going to touch him.

That is the justice that rules in Bolivia today, selective for some and others.

While they keep a governor kidnapped, under a trumped-up accusation of “coup” or “terrorism”, for having gone out to protest at the feet of Christ the Redeemer in 2019, on the other hand they are contemplative with someone who was denounced for having damaged the life of his minor victims.

That is also the difference between Camacho and the other guy. A moral difference that allows our governor to hold his head high and think about a future with freedom for Bolivia, and another character who hides behind his violent bases and who maintains his aspirations for power without caring about the Political Constitution of the State and less justice.

Our moral and total support for the governor of Santa Cruz, Luis Fernando Camacho. May justice be done soon and that his freedom also means taking another step for Bolivia, away from this corrupt system and this manipulated justice that the population rejects and that will punish when the rule of law returns to the country.