International
‘Coup d’etat’ trial of Bolivia ex-president to begin
AFP
Some call her a “political prisoner” but others claim she led a coup d’etat: former interim president Jeanine Anez will go on trial Thursday accused of orchestrating the ouster of her predecessor as Bolivia’s leader, Evo Morales.
The conservative Anez, 54, has been held in pre-trial detention for the last 11 months. She has been on hunger strike, not for the first time, since last Wednesday.
She and another eight former military personnel will be on trial, starting from 9:00 am (1300 GMT).
Anez is accused of unconstitutionally assuming the presidency in November 2019 following the resignation of Morales, who fled into exile following 14 years in power.
Morales quit and left the country in the midst of street protests over his re-election the month before.
The Organization of American States (OAS) performed an audit and found clear evidence of election irregularities.
“I assumed the presidency of Bolivia without asking for it, without looking for it and much less expecting it… with the only mission to call new elections and pacify a country in convulsion,” Anez said on Tuesday.
Her lawyer Luis Guillen has accused authorities of bias as the document that opens the trial describes Anez as the “de facto” and “unconstitutional” ex-president.
Guillen has demanded an in-person trial and that witnesses be made to attend for cross-questioning after the public prosecutor’s office said it would be submitting only witness statements.
On Tuesday, a group of 21 former Latin American presidents asked the United Nations to visit Anez and investigate potential “abuses of power” in her treatment.
– ‘Massacres’ –
Another accusation of sedition, terrorism and conspiracy against Anez is still under investigation.
Guillen said the two investigations relate to “the same event” adding that it violates a general principal of law.
He added that “an ordinary court cannot decide what is constitutional.”
Guillen said an ex-president should not be tried in a regular court but rather face a trial of responsibilities in congress.
The plaintiffs in the case are the government, public prosecutor and congress dominated by the ruling Movement for Socialism party.
“This is a political trial being carried out by the government of President Luis Arce,” said political scientist Carlos Cordero from the San Andres university.
“It’s a way of establishing a political sanction for those that dared to be adversaries at a time of crisis for the Movement for Socialism.”
Anez is also accused of genocide following complaints made by the families of victims of a police crackdown against protesters in November 2019.
A group of experts commissioned by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the government said 22 people were killed in “massacres” carried out by security forces.
Unlike the other accusations, though, it will be dealt with by congress in a trial of responsibilities.
The report also questioned the independence of Bolivia’s judicial system.
– Sudden change in results –
In October 2019, Morales stood for a fourth consecutive term as president despite the constitution setting a limit of two successive terms.
The election appeared to be heading for a second round run-off until a 24-hour blackout in the live and transparent reporting of results.
When that resumed, Morales had suddenly jumped into a winning lead.
There followed three weeks of protests against his re-election during which time Morales lost the support of the police and military, and fled the country.
Those who would have succeeded him — all members of his MAS party — also resigned and fled either abroad or into embassies, leaving Anez — then vice-president of the senate — as the highest ranking official left in office.
Congress, which was controlled by MAS, recognized her as interim president despite the lack of a quorum due to a boycott by many members of MAS.
Her sole task was to organize new elections but it took a year for those to be held, in part due to postponements over the coronavirus pandemic.
With Morales living in Argentina, his former finance minister Arce romped to victory.
Anez handed over power in November 2020 and was arrested in March 2021.
International
Petro expresses concern over fatal shooting during mass protests in Lima
Colombian President Gustavo Petro voiced his “concern” on Thursday over recent events in Peru, following the death of a protester reportedly shot during a massive demonstration in Lima against the government and Congress.
“I must express my concern over the events in Peru. A young artist has been killed in citizens’ protests,” Petro wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The Colombian leader also noted that in Peru, “a popularly elected president remains imprisoned without conviction,” referring to Pedro Castillo, who led the country from July 2021 to December 2022 until he was removed by Congress following a failed attempted coup.
“This is a blatant violation of the American Convention on Human Rights,” Petro stated, adding, “I hope Peru seeks social and political dialogue to legitimize its public institutions.”
On Wednesday, Peru experienced widespread protests in several cities, with the largest demonstration in Lima in recent years, driven by citizens’ concerns over corruption and public insecurity.
During the capital’s mobilization, the Ombudsman’s Office confirmed the death of Eduardo Ruiz, 32, and reported clashes that left over 100 injured, including 78 police officers and 24 protesters, as well as ten arrests.
The Attorney General’s Office, investigating Ruiz’s death “in the context of serious human rights violations,” confirmed that the protester was shot.
International
Peru’s interim president José Jerí refuses to resign after protester’s death in Lima
Peru’s interim president, José Jerí, stated Thursday that he has no intention of resigning from the post he assumed last Friday, following the removal of former president Dina Boluarte, despite growing unrest over the death of a protester during massive demonstrations in Lima on Wednesday.
“I will not resign,” Jerí declared outside the Government Palace in Lima, where he returned on foot after making a surprise visit to Congress headquarters alongside Prime Minister Ernesto Álvarez.
Earlier, after leaving the Legislative Palace, the president acknowledged that the country is going through “difficult times” and condemned what he described as “a small group attempting to impose an agenda different from the citizens’ expression of discontent.”
Jerí expressed condolences for the death of Eduardo Ruiz, a 32-year-old man who died during Wednesday’s protest against the government and Congress, amid growing anger over corruption and insecurity.
“We stand in solidarity with his family,” he said, without offering further details about the incident, which has sparked outrage among Peruvians.
The president also described the demonstrations as “a legitimate civic expression” that later turned violent due to “certain groups seeking to provoke chaos by exploiting a peaceful citizen movement.”
“In a state governed by the rule of law, the rights of both demonstrators and security forces must be protected,” Jerí emphasized, adding that “as a result of that situation, this unfortunate death occurred outside the main area where the protest was taking place.”
International
Mexican government prioritizes 191 communities after deadly floods
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed on Wednesday that the death toll from recent rains and floods across several central states has risen to 66, while the federal government has activated air bridges and prioritized assistance in 191 isolated communities.
“Unfortunately, 66 people have died, and 75 remain missing,” the president said during her morning press conference. She added that the official death toll will be updated later in a new report.
As of Tuesday, authorities had reported 64 fatalities. Sheinbaum also announced the creation of a public information center to centralize official data on the deceased, missing persons, damaged homes, and cut-off communities.
According to the president, the number of missing persons has decreased thanks to coordination with state authorities.
“Through calls to phone line 079, 103 people who had been reported missing have now been located,” she explained.
Priority Municipalities
The president noted that the federal government has classified 191 communities as ‘priority’, a designation based mainly on the percentage of homes affected.
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