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The Bolivian Ministry of the Interior announced that it had issued an “arrest warrant” against the governor of Santa Cruz and opposition leader, Luis Fernando Camacho. The opposition and its supporters criticized the arrest and the Government classified it as a “police kidnapping.”
Santa Cruz is once again the focus of controversy in Bolivia. As announced by the Ministry of Government, the opposition leader and governor of the most populous region of the Latin American country, Luis Fernando Camacho, was detained by the Police.
“We inform the Bolivian people that the Bolivian Police complied with the arrest warrant against Mr. Luis Fernando Camacho,” Interior Minister Eduardo Del Castillo wrote on his social networks.
For its part, the country’s Prosecutor’s Office released more details about the reasons for the arrest. “Luis Fernando Camacho was apprehended in the afternoon, today, December 28, in compliance with the arrest warrant issued by the La Paz Departmental Prosecutor’s Office in the case called ‘Coup d’état I,'” the statement said. .
The opponent has been investigated for his role in what he has called a “coup” against Morales. A case in which possible crimes of terrorism and conspiracy are investigated in the events that led to Jeanine Áñez Chávez becoming president of Bolivia after the leftist’s resignation.
The version is far from that of the Government that classified the event as a “kidnapping” in “in an absolutely irregular police operation, and carried out in an unknown direction.”
In the note, the agency assures that the operation “was carried out in the streets surrounding” Camacho’s home when “he was returning after carrying out management activities.” At the same time, it assures that the whereabouts of the opponent are unknown and calls on the Bolivian President Luis Arce to take responsibility for his “physical security” and his life.
According to the EFE news agency, videos shared on social networks show that the vehicle in which the governor was traveling was stopped by at least two motorists who fired tear gas to force him to stop.
In this regard, congresswoman Paola Aguirre assured for the media ‘The reason’, that Camacho was “intercepted by a vehicle with armed people who have shot against the mobility.” According to the opponent’s account, firearms were used during the arrest.
The fact has already caused a stir among the opposition sector to the Bolivian government, especially in the ranks of the governor’s party, Creemos. Several parliamentarians and followers of the politician reached two airports in Santa Cruz to prevent Camacho’s transfer.
As Reuters assures, it was not clear if Camacho had already been transferred to the city of La Paz.
As stated in a video by the opposition senator, Erik Moron, the governor was taken by helicopter to an unknown place.
Who is Luis Fernando Camacho?
The figure of the governor is key in the Bolivian opposition. Camacho led the protests in Santa Cruz in 2019 in which an alleged electoral fraud that favored former President Evo Morales was denounced.
In fact, he is remembered for having flown from Santa Cruz to La Paz in November of that year looking for Morales to sign a letter of resignation that Camacho himself had written. A truncated objective from the moment in which pro-government protesters prevented him from leaving the airport of said city.
The 41-year-old lawyer is also recognized for having been the president of the Pro-Santa Cruz Committee (east), a conglomerate of right-wing business, neighborhood and labor entities in the region that is considered the economic engine of Bolivia.
In addition, Camacho was once again the protagonist in the most recent protests in Santa Cruz. Some that lasted for weeks and that wanted the Government to carry out a census next year that Arce had postponed to 2024.
The mobilizations claimed that it was necessary to carry out the count as soon as possible, ensuring that Santa Cruz was affected by the underreporting of its population. A new census, they claimed, would give the region greater participation in Congress and more resources.
Camacho’s political career began with the Santa Cruz youth civic committee, a radical right-wing organization, and many years later he ran for the Presidency. During his campaign, the now governor of Santa Cruz had classified Luis Arce as a “puppet.”
Discontent takes over the streets of Santa Cruz
The reaction to Camacho’s arrest was not only felt at Santa Cruz airports. Blockages are also reported on the streets of the city.
Local media They assure that there are even long lines at service stations for fear of a possible fuel shortage.
The Civic Committee for Santa Cruz, which includes different business and neighborhood entities, called an emergency meeting.
With EFE, Reuters, AFP and local media
