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world news Diahuebs 19 augustus 2021

Report shines light on abuse by Bolivia's interim government

(AP) — Bolivia’s recent who have long maintained an email said that Bolivians the Ford Foundation, is care-
interim government came Áñez took power through deserve accountability based ful not to endorse claims of a
to power by sidestepping a coup tacitly backed by the on credible legal proceedings coup against Morales.
constitutional rules for Trump administration. It’s that respect due process.
presidential succession also likely to undercut criti- But it does question the le-
and persecuted opponents cism by the Biden adminis- Following Áñez’s arrest in gitimacy of Áñez’s ascent to
with “systematic torture” tration and others suggesting March, Secretary of State power, pointing out that her
and “summary execu- that the jailing of Áñez on se- Antony Blinken said on election to the head of the
tions” by security forces in dition and terrorism charges Twitter that he was “deeply Senate and then as interim
the tumultuous aftermath tied to the unrest was politi- concerned by growing signs president lacked the quorum
of Evo Morales’ resigna- cally motivated. of antidemocratic behavior required by Bolivia’s consti-
tion in 2019, according to and politicization” of Boliv- tution after several of Mo-
a new report by indepen- “This thoroughly docu- ia’s justice system. rales’ allies in the legislature
dent human rights ex- mented report sets the record resigned in protest. a fourth term, deep-seated
perts. straight,” said Kathryn Lede- An OAS electoral mission to racism against his Indigenous
bur, who leads the nonprofit Bolivia found a number of “If this isn’t a coup, what followers and traditionally
The scathing, 471-page re- Andean Information Net- “irregularities” in the 2019 more proof can there be?” weak institutions as aggravat-
port is the most comprehen- work in Bolivia and has been election, including the ex- Arce said at Tuesday’s presen- ing factors.
sive yet to examine the events a sharp critic of Áñez. istence of hidden computer tation to shouts of “Justice!”
surrounding the disputed servers. Morales officially by relatives of those killed But it specifically faults Áñez
2019 presidential vote, when Ledebur, an American who won by barely enough votes who were also in attendance. officials for utilizing the ju-
Morales’ narrow election has lived in Bolivia for de- to avoid a runoff with the diciary and security forces to
to an unprecedented fourth cades, said she finds U.S. second-place finisher. The report also detailed ex- target opponents, often based
term triggered widespread policy toward Bolivia espe- amples of excessive force by on flimsy evidence. It also
protests spurred by strong cially disappointing because That OAS electoral mis- police, including the use of found evidence of female de-
international allegations of of the parallels between how sion’s findings prompted op- lethal ammunition, to sup- tainees being threatened with
voting fraud — claims later the Áñez government spread ponents joined by Bolivia’s press unarmed supporters rape and subjected to genital
questioned by foreign elec- misinformation and inter- armed forces to pressure of Morales who poured into touching.
toral experts. vened in the judiciary to at- Morales into resigning hours the streets. At least 20 people
tack opponents and attempts after he had acquiesced to were killed in two incidents Among those imprisoned
The report, presented Tues- by former President Donald OAS Secretary General Luis the experts characterized as was a maid found when po-
day in La Paz in an event at- Trump to hold onto power Almagro’s call for a redo of “massacres” perpetrated by lice raided the abandoned
tended by new President Luis following his defeat last year. the vote. security forces acting un- home of a former top offi-
Arce, was commissioned by der the authority of a decree cial, as well as Morales’ for-
the Organization of Ameri- “Instead of suggesting Áñez’s Later, researchers from the signed by Áñez guaranteeing mer cabinet chief, Patricia
can States chief human rights arrest was politically motivat- Massachusetts Institute of amnesty for those working to Hermosa, who had a miscar-
watchdog under an agree- ed, the U.S. should speak out Technology would cast doubt reestablish public order. riage in custody while being
ment with the former in- about the gross human rights on the OAS’ claim that a sud- denied medical attention, ac-
terim government led by violations committed by, and den change in voting trends “We don’t want revenge. We cording to the report.
Jeanine Áñez. the illegality of, the Áñez following an extended lapse want justice,” said Gregoria
government,” Ledebur said. in releasing results pointed to Siles, whose son Omar was The report contains 36 rec-
The five-member panel’s fraud. The OAS has stood by killed after being shot in back ommendations, including
findings of widespread abus- The State Department said its findings. in the city Sacaba. calls to compensate victims
es by security forces acting that it would not comment of state violence, a thorough
under the conservative inter- until it had heard from the The new report, which was The report highlights the investigation of crimes com-
im government’s direction is Group of Independent Ex- the result of eight months deep political polarization mitted by security forces and
likely to embolden leftist sup- perts and had reviewed its of research partly funded by surrounding Morales’ chang- greater independence for
porters of Morales and Arce, report. But a spokesperson in the U.S. Government and ing of the constitution to seek prosecutors and judges.

Spain, rights groups disagree over rights of child migrants

(AP) — Spanish officials urging him to end it im- by scaling a border fence or that are returnable,” Grande-
sought to justify Tuesday mediately. swimming around it. They Marlaska said in an interview But in a letter to Spanish
their policy of sending have been in Ceuta since with Spanish public radio Prime Minister Pedro Sán-
unaccompanied child mi- Hundreds of unaccompanied then. RNE. “They are not at risk.” chez published Tuesday, 28
grants back to Morocco, minors were among a surge Spanish and international
while 28 human rights or- of 10,000 people who tried Last Friday, Spanish authori- The head of the Ceuta gov- rights groups insisted the re-
ganizations wrote to the to enter Spain’s North Afri- ties began sending them back ernment, Juan Jesús Vivas, turns are illegal because they
Spanish prime minister can enclave of Ceuta in May to Morocco in groups of 15, acknowledged that the 2007 are done in groups, without
triggering an outcry from agreement does not set out prior warning and without a
rights groups. specific rules but states that hearing or the provision of
Spain and Morocco have to legal counsel.
Spanish Interior Minister agree on how to proceed with
Fernando Grande-Marlaska returns. Because of that, the returns
said Tuesday the returns were are in contravention of Span-
taking place under a 2007 Regardless of whether an in- ish, European and interna-
agreement between Spain dividual written assessment tional law, the rights groups
and Morocco for assisted re- has been made of each child, argue.
turns once children’s cases he said, for the past three
had been considered. months the minors who have A Spanish court has suspend-
been returned have been ac- ed the returns until Thurs-
Morocco has given “assur- companied by qualified pro- day, giving the government
ances” that the minors’ rights fessionals and no child clas- 72 hours to show it is not
will be respected, he said. sified by them as vulnerable breaking the law.
has been sent back to Mo-
“We are returning the ones rocco.