Bolivian President Luis Arce addressing a crowd. Photo: Plurinational Legislative Assembly.
The former president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, has made complaints that the Bolivian Ministry of Defense has been training snipers in a military school with the alleged objective of repressing the people and popular movement. Simultaneously, current Bolivian President Luis Arce has claimed that supporters of Morales have committed acts of violence against police officers and journalists.
In a message addressing national and international public opinion, posted on social media this Tuesday, October 29, Evo Morales condemned reports “that the Bolivian Minister of Defense, Edmundo Novillo, on the instructions of President Luis Arce, is currently building up military snipers, from the Army Military Olympic Shooting School, in the Maximiliano Paredes Sergeant School in Tarata, Cochabamba.”
Denuncio ante la opinión pública nacional e internacional que se ha informado que el Ministro de Defensa, Edmundo Novillo, por instrucción del Presidente Luis Arce, concentra en estos momentos a francotiradores del Ejército (Escuela de Tiro Olímpico Militar del Ejército) en la…
— Evo Morales Ayma (@evoespueblo) October 29, 2024
“These are the same ones who are just waiting for instructions to enter and confront the mobilized people,” Morales added.
The former president stated that “this in fact constitutes the establishment of a massacre against social movements, and particularly against the indigenous movement. Any bloodshed will be the sole responsibility of the National Government, Luis Arce, and his ministers.”
Condenamos enérgicamente los hechos de violencia registrados en el municipio de Mairana, donde policías y periodistas fueron brutalmente agredidos mientras cumplían su labor. Estos actos de violencia no quedarán impunes.
Expresamos nuestra solidaridad con los efectivos…
— Luis Alberto Arce Catacora (Lucho Arce) (@LuchoXBolivia) October 29, 2024
The Bolivian head of state, Luis Arce, also posted a message on social media following an opposing line, to “strongly condemn the acts of violence recorded in the municipality of Mairana, where police officers and journalists were brutally attacked while carrying out their work. These acts of violence will not go unpunished.”
Local media reported that during a police operation to clear the roadblocks in Mairana, in the department of Cochabamba, the people who had blocked the roads defended themselves with violence and held police officers and journalists in their custody. The Bolivian Information Agency (ABI) stated that images apparently show how Evo Morales supporters supposedly beat the police officers and journalists who arrived in the area to cover the operation.
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“We express our solidarity with the police officers and press workers,” President Arce added in his message, “and demand a thorough investigation with the aim of imposing exemplary sanctions on the perpetrators of these unacceptable acts.”
“In Bolivia, anyone who commits a crime must assume the consequences under the law,” he claimed. “We will not allow the rights of Bolivians to be violated!” It is also of import to note that some officers within Bolivia’s military and police are now refusing to follow the orders given to suppress social movements, including Morales supporters, who are currently engaging in protests.
(Telesur) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/AU
