Wednesday 17
September
2008, San José, Costa
Rica
Shady Child Adoptions in
Guatemala
Cuba to Support Honduras
Literacy Drive
Chavez: US Behind
Violence in Bolivia
U.S. Decides To Withdraw
Citizens From Bolivia
Bolivia Arrests
Opposition Governor On
Charge Of Genocide
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Bolivia Arrests
Opposition Governor On
Charge Of Genocide
LIMA - An opposition
governor was arrested in
Bolivia on charges of
killing 30 people during
last week's political
rebellion in the
northern province of
Pando, Bolivian
President Evo Morales
said on Tuesday.
Leopoldo Fernandez was
arrested Tuesday at
10:45 local time (1545
GMT) by Bolivian
military troops in
Cobija, capital of
Pando. The governor,
supposedly to be
transferred to La Paz,
did not resist the
arrest, said reports
reaching here from La
Paz.
The General Prosecutor's
Office accused Fernandez
of being the head of a
conspiracy, which led to
the killing of at least
30 pro-Morales peasants
last Thursday.
"We have informed the
media that a penal
process against the
governor of Pando
(Fernandez) for the
crime of genocide has
begun," Morales told a
press conference in La
Paz, Bolivia's
administrative capital.
Morales added that the
detention of Fernandez
was conducted according
to law, and "nobody can
do against it."
The arrest followed last
week's declaration of a
state of siegein Pando
by the government of
Morales. Troops have
taken control of the
provincial capital
Cobija in response to
the outbreak of violence
in the region.
"The detention is
performed in accordance
with the state of siege
within the
constitutional
framework," Morales
said.
The president also
hailed the "overwhelming
support for the Bolivian
democracy" shown by the
Union of South American
Nations (Unasur).
Morales said when it is
about defending the life
and legacy of the
Bolivian people, the
legal actions should
continue.
On Monday, a total of 11
people were detained for
violating the state of
siege in Pando. They
will also be
interrogated for the
killings in Pando
province.
Violent clashes in
Bolivia between
supporters of Morales
and anti-government
protesters have already
left dozens of people
dead, and many more have
been injured or missing.
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