Yolanda Mamani Cayo / La Paz
The Police minimized the case of kidnapping and torture of journalists, policemen and civilians of the armed group of hooded men in the Las Londras ranch, Guarayos. The institution’s commander, Jhonny Aguilera, described the incident as an “altercation.” 72 hours have passed and there are no detainees.
The police authority, in time to report on the operation with 200 police officers in the municipality of Guarayos where the incident occurred, also said that evidence and testimonies are being collected “to support a criminal process.”
“We are not going to cause any damage, what we are doing is looking for those who have been responsible for that altercation, (who) have used firearms and it is our mission to restore order,” Aguilera said. He added that if they find people “in flagrante delicto”, they will be arrested.
Yesterday, local television media reported that the only things they found at the scene of the ambush were utensils, a makeshift stove containing a pot of soup and a container with peeled potatoes. They all left.
On the morning of Thursday 28, a delegation from the Association of Oilseed and Wheat Producers (Anapo), together with agricultural workers, police officers and journalists from five media outlets were detained and tortured for more than seven hours in the Las Londras farm by an armed group of land slayers.
After the events, the journalists and civilians who were kidnapped and tortured yesterday gave their testimony before the Public Ministry as victims. In front of the media, they showed the evidence of the attack such as the video camera that was pierced by bullet shots.
In this context, Minister Eduardo del Castillo said on Friday that the Police negotiated with the armed group to release the hostages who, according to his version, were held for two hours (all witnesses reported that they were held for at least seven hours) .
“Thanks to the work of the Police, a small negotiation was reached with this group of people who would have detained journalists. They were held for a couple of hours and each one is safe, “he said.
Several were the testimonies of journalists, even some of them managed to record moments of tension when the hooded men fired shots and pointed their weapons at the press. They were then taken to a shed where they were held hostage upside down for more than seven hours while they beat and kicked them, and threatened to kill and burn them alive.
“They told us ‘press sold.’ They asked who brought us, how much they paid us, and we explained that we only did press coverage, “said journalist Percy Suárez from the ATB network.
Yesterday, a part of the criminal group went to the media without balaclavas and without weapons to assure that they did not kidnap, that it was a misunderstanding and they only wanted to give a “scare” and that they acted “out of rage” because days before a confrontation with another group that “shot us”.
Deputy Luisa Nayar, from the Citizen Community, said in reference to Del Castillo’s statements: “With criminals there is no negotiation” because they have attempted against the lives of civilians and police officers and regretted the position of Colonel Aguilera.
The governor of Santa Cruz, Fernando Camacho, criticized the police action because after 72 hours the hooded men are still free. “This inaction is giving criminals time to escape,” he said.
“We are looking for those who have been responsible for that altercation, have used firearms.”
Jhonny Aguilera, Commander of the Bolivian Police
“A small negotiation has been reached with this group that would have held journalists for a couple of hours.”
Eduardo del Castillo, Minister of Government
“What the Police Commander says is a mockery of journalists and police officers whose lives were in danger.”
Luisa nayar, Member of the Citizen Community
