December 20, 2022, 4:00 AM
December 20, 2022, 4:00 AM
The Colombian citizen Eduardo Alfonso Suárez Rodríguez, killed in the anti-drug operation at the Noel Kempff Mercado Park, would belong to the extinct guerrilla of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), according to the Prosecutor’s Office. On Sunday, the minister Eduardo Del Castillo denied the existence of cartels in Bolivia and said that there is only a presence of “family clans” and groups that venture to sell drugs. Opposition legislators rejected that the authority “minimize” this illegal activity that is growing strongly in the country.
The commission of prosecutors in charge of the case, during the inspection of the place where Sergeant Wálter Huayhua Yucra was murdered, found the word “FARC” written on the ground and other signs that the Police identified as alerts from drug traffickers about the presence of police officers.
“In the place, the writing ‘FARC’ was found on the ground and there were other signs, not unusual for it to belong to this group. They are signage such as drawn triangles and circles that, (according to) what the police handle, are used as warning symbols about the presence of police officers there.. (The drawings) were written on the ground and as if they were made with the sole of the foot or with a stick,” prosecutor Fernado Mejía told EL DEBER.
The authority presumes that there is a drug production laboratory, since “The Colombian citizens interned in the undergrowth are not randomly in the place and they were defending something, That is why the Colombian citizen and the police officer were killed in the crossfire.”
The Public Ministry seized a satellite phone, an M44 firearm, Colombian citizen’s clothing, shell casings, a knife, Suárez’s identification, a wallet, ammunition and tablets.
Regarding the M44 weapon, the prosecutor said that it is an assault weapon and that only the Bolivian Police and the Armed Forces have access. Unlike the Prosecutor’s Office, the Vice Minister of Social Defense and Controlled Substances, Jaime Mamani, assured that the foreigner killed He was “found with a high caliber rifle, we are talking about an AK4, caliber 5.56 millimeters”he stated.
He also confirmed that the Colombian has a history. “Once all the corresponding information was compiled, it was possible to verify that this man has a history of for carrying firearms and to date no one has claimed his body” from the Santa Cruz morgue.
It is known that there are more Colombians than the Police managed to recognize by the foreign accent. Mamani also said that there would not only be the Colombian who lost his life but also other people of foreign nationality..
The commission of prosecutors not only investigates the death of the sergeant, Rather, he opened a second criminal proceeding for the crime of trafficking in controlled substances, after the discovery of the Los Fierros clandestine track.
On December 13, a patrol from the Eastern Intelligence and Special Operations Group (GIOE), made up of 10 police officers, infiltrated the protected area located in San Ignacio de Velasco, to carry out drug trafficking interdiction, patrolling and raking.
Three days later, on December 16, while on patrol, at approximately 10:00 a.m., they were ambushed by people carrying firearms, who fired at members of the Special Force to Fight Drug Trafficking (Felcn).
As a result of this ambush, Police Sergeant Walter Huayhua lost his life after receiving “13 bullet wounds”according to the report of Deputy Minister Mamani.
According to the initial investigations carried out by the Police, 50 kilometers from the protected area there is a clandestine runway that was used by these individuals to dispatch controlled substanceseven without confirmation of the destination, as well as other compartments made of sticks and barrels for these people to engage in illegal activities.
Other recent anti-drug operations, in the department of Cochabamba, warn of the presence of two Colombians. In Alto Sivingani, they managed to arrest Jhon Abrego Lucumí, 40, and Luis Olivio Arboleda Góngora, 33, both Colombians and who are now in the El Abra prison. None is linked to the operation in the Noel Kemff Mercado Park.
The head of the MAS, Evo Morales, affirmed that the death of Sergeant Huayhua is the result of “of the protection of the narco”, alluding to Del Castillo, whom he points out for setting up drug trafficking cases against him. For his part, Carlos Romero, former Minister of Government, accused the government of Luis Arce of losing control of the fight against drug trafficking.
“It is becoming a state problem. It is becoming a scenario of Colombianization, in the sense that certain strategic territorial pieces are being progressively released and these are forming a dark power, a mafia power, a power parallel to the State,” said Romero, referring to the fact that the encroachments are linked to the drug trafficking
When asked if there are cartels in the country, the Minister of Government said that what there are are family clans and groups that venture to market and produce drugs.
“We cannot talk about the presence of cartels in national territory, what exists are family clans that organize themselves to commit illegal activities linked to drug trafficking And so there are also small groups that have the adventure of entering the national territory to be able to market and produce base paste, cocaine hydrochloride within the national territory,” he said.
These statements provoked the indignation of Cremos legislators who believe that the authority minimizes the problem of drug trafficking in Bolivia.
“The vision of Minister Del Castillo and the MAS Government, who maintain that nothing is happening in the country, is worrying. Already in March, the media headlined that international cartels are gaining ground in Bolivia because our country is no longer a country of transit but of drug production,” said Senator Henry Montero.
For her part, deputy María René Álvarez said that It is news to talk about the increase in drug trafficking in protected areas and about the presence of “armed and irregular groups” that threaten the life, security and integrity of Bolivians”.
“We have denounced the presence of foreign cartels operating in the country and the possible government links that may exist to guarantee their operations and drug trafficking to other international destinations”, he wrote on his social networks. From the Legislature, they will request reports from Del Castillo, who was summoned several times and did not appear to meet the requirements.
